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Wednesday, 2.07.2025
Transforming Government since 2001
The South African government's concept of an ‘e-government strategy', aimed at increasing the back-office administration capacity and data integration systems of government departments in order to offer improved service delivery to citizens, was only at stage one of service maturity, or the basic capability level, and needed to be brought back on track.

Addressing delegates at the 2008 Gauteng Shared Services Centre e-government conference in Johannesburg on Monday, Department of Public Service Administration (DPSA) chief information officer Michelle Williams said the e-government strategy, as a concept, continued to hold "great promise", but it needed to be reworked, and brought back on track.

Read more: ‘Fundamental shifts' on the cards for South Africa's e-government strategy

The Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC) is to host an e-government conference from 7 to 8 April. The conference is aimed at finding ways to use ICT infrastructure and services to deliver on the province's developmental agenda, such as reducing unemployment and poverty.

Presentations and panel discussions will, among other things, explore case studies on tracking and managing government budgets, e-invoicing and e-procurement, as well as access management.

Read more: South Africa: Gauteng Shared Services Centre to discuss tech use

Gauteng finance MEC Paul Mashatile believes ICT is key to the province's future and in his budget vote this morning, he puts his money where his mouth is.

Mashatile says the province will spend at least half a billion rand on ICT over the next three years. The budget vote makes it clear several billion more can follow after some groundwork is done.

The amount forms part of a R31.5 billion investment over the medium-term to fund infrastructure projects that are expected to stimulate economic growth and job creation in the province.

Read more: South Africa: Gauteng scores half a billion IT budget

South Africa's Information Communication Technology (ICT) needs have to be addressed in order to further development and service delivery, according to the e-Skills Council.

"The focus should not only be on skills in the current period, but also skills that will be required in the future, including e-skills related to all aspects of life such as the arts and those required by the public sector to improve service delivery," said the Department of Communications, Monday.

Read more: South Africa: Country Must Develop ICT Skills - E-Skills Council

The Finnish government has signed a deal with SA that will see it donate 12 million euros (R136 million) to SA in ICT development aid over a three-year period.

The deal, signed by SA's communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and Finland's minister counsellor Marjaana Sall, in Pretoria yesterday, is in support of the SA Provincial Information Society Strategy programme.

The initiative aims to accelerate social and economic development through ICT, says the Department of Communications.

Read more: South Africa: Boost for provincial e-govt

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