By Murunwa Mashamba, Senior Specialist: Key Accounts Manager at Altron Karabina 

Despite the many challenges around effective service delivery, the South African government has shown an appetite for exploring ways in which to improve the current situation. Key to getting this right requires a close partnership with the private sector in order to better understand, and ultimately adopt a modern, digital-first approach for the government itself as well as in engaging with the country’s citizens. 

South Africans are no strangers to inefficiency from the government, though many of these failings can be traced back to legacy, paper-driven processes that are not only a burden for those seeking government services but also for the state in terms of processing these requests. Think of those who applied for RDP houses years (or even decades) ago but are still waiting, likely because of lost documentation, or those who have lost jobs and are looking to get financial support through the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

Not only is having to physically go to various government departments an expensive exercise for many - not just to apply, but then to have to track the progress on the status of their applications manually. These are all processes that are ripe for digitisation, which can alleviate many of these challenges - right from applications to submission of supporting documents and being able to monitor the progress of their applications online. 

The proliferation of mobile devices and reduction in data costs means that most South Africans now have access to the internet thanks to their phones, further making digital an ideal and cost-effective avenue for engagement with citizens. 

Inefficiency in service delivery has a negative impact not only on increasingly frustrated citizens but also on government employees who often have to - perhaps unfairly - bear the brunt of these service delivery failures. Digitising many government processes will help public service workers improve their own efficiency and productivity by not having to manually process requests, as well as being able to securely upload applications and have reference numbers to easily keep track of things.  

It also alleviates the pressure that comes from large volumes of people who visit government offices to simply check on the progress of their applications. They can simply use their mobile devices and follow up, regardless of where they are. Moving things into the cloud also ensures improved security of information meaning that unlike in the past, documents cannot get lost, damaged or stolen. Increased reliability of the cloud also means that South Africans won't be hearing 'the system is offline' as they often do now. 

For the government, achieving this requires that they take a partnership approach; we are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the private sector has a crucial role in bringing this vision to reality, as they have the experience when it comes to understanding unique customer requirements (in this case the government) as well as the challenges that are inherent in the digital transformation journey. As responsible corporate citizens, the private sector wants the digital transformation of South Africa to be a success. 

The journey to digital and implementation of new technology also has to go hand in hand with training for public service employees if the government is to get the best out of these solutions. This skills transfer ensures better buy-in from employees as they come to realise that digital solutions are not going to replace their jobs but are there to help them carry out their duties more effectively. 

Taking the digital approach also means that rather than being reactive, the government can start becoming more proactive. Mismanagement and fraud contribute to the numerous challenges the country faces, and putting digital solutions in place will help the state better manage its funds while also putting in place the processes and procedures that bring with it accountability. 

Digital citizen engagement platforms can serve as early warning systems for failures in service delivery by identifying trends in feedback from citizens and highlighting these to the relevant authorities. Having various government offices, departments and agencies integrated into these digital solutions also means that a coordinated response can be undertaken to address the identified challenges, such as the need to enhance safety and security in particular communities. 

It also goes beyond just service delivery; for example, potholes left unattended can lead to accidents or damage to vehicles, with motorists then claiming compensation from municipalities, leading to a loss of valuable monetary resources. Having such an early warning system in place will help the state become more financially prudent, which is critical given the current economic climate, both locally and globally. 

Taking the partnership approach will help the government understand that it is not simply about adopting technology for technology’s sake, but building digital solutions that are specific to addressing South Africa’s challenges and delivering innovation that matters. Ultimately, this is a cost-effective way of improving service delivery as well as the processes, procedures and governance within government departments and agencies, as well as enabling better communication between the government and citizens.