IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

The days of travelling long distances to Home Affairs offices to check progress on Identity Documents and passport applications are over, as one can now check this via short message service (SMS).

Many South Africans had to spend money on transport to visit the nearest offices of the Department of Home Affairs to check on their documents, but now they can do so on their cellular phones.

Read more: South Africa: Home Affairs Services Available Via SMS

Sluggish liberalisation in the telecommunications sector has seen SA plunge a substantial 10 places down a list of the world’s most technologically advanced countries.

SA now ranks only 47th, lagging behind Tunisia, which is Africa’s most highly placed nation in 35th position. Mauritius and Botswana have also slipped down by making less progress than other emerging nations.

Read more: South Africa loses ground in world ICT rankings

In many countries of the world, government agencies sorely test the patience of their citizens. And yet long lines and mountains of paper files could soon be things of the past, if public administrations take a resolute step forward and join the digital age. According to a 2005 McKinsey Study, however, governments lag about 20 years behind private business in reforming their administrative processes.

Read more: South Africa: Electronic filing to save govts millions

The recently introduced electronic data distribution system aimed at saving paper and other materials in the municipality is causing headaches and is seriously affecting internal communication in the institution.

The system, called e-Government, has been approved by the government and aims at communicating by e-mail and other electronic modes.

Read more: South Africa: Electronic system is a municipal headache