Page 14 - index

E-govErnmEnt

• The national health information garded as key to equitable economic which has produced greater opportuni-
system could link to secure, online, growth because the technological rev- ties for governments to engage with its
electronic patient records and other olution underpins economic advances, citizens. The UN views e-government
databases, such as for financial, improvements in health systems, edu- as an essential ingredient to increase
pharmacy, laboratory and supply- cation and infrastructure. Therefore, the transparency and accountability while
chain management data NDP affirms that all South Africans must promoting active citizen participation. To
• Focused digital information could be able to acquire and use technology this end, countries are encouraged to:
be accessed on web-based and to ensure that they do not fall victim to a • Ensure freedom of expression
mobile data entry and retrieval, and “digital divide”. and open access to publicly held
linked to the existing district health information
information system, which would Recent reports indicate that South Af- • Increase transparency,
be continuously and incrementally rican citizens are becoming more ac- accountability and effectiveness
modernised tive on the internet and social media in of public sector institutions by
• Efficient cellular phone networks particular. As a result, the capacity now providing government information
and technology could provide exists for greater numbers of citizens to online.
a range of services, break new interact with government via ICT. This
frontiers in fighting diseases and can be seen as a clear signal to the For this reason, the next phase of
lower the cost of water purification South African government to increase e-government in SA must focus on
its capacity to expand e-government, practical implementation to ensure
The use of digital communications has which will, according to Farelo and Mor- that we achieve the objectives outlined
changed society in ways that are not yet ris (2006), lead to higher levels of “inter- in the NDP: Vision 2030. A failure to
fully understood. It is clear, however, that active dialogues” and greater levels of properly manage the evolution from
young people have embraced the new accountability. e-government to e-governance will result
media, and this represents a potentially in a digital gulf developing between our
powerful means of fostering social Since its launch on 4 February 2004, citizens and government.
inclusion. Facebook garnered more than 13 mil-
lion South African participants. Twitter, In Africa, Tanzania is the leader in
digitised citizens: which turned 11 on 21 March 2017, has e-consultation. However, only 48%
close to 8 million active South Africans.
of African countries currently share
from e-government to In 2002, Kuye identified e-government, information with their citizens online.
e-governance e-governance and e-participation as The UN recognises that while there
is progress throughout Africa, “more
core areas that will have “profound ef-
fects” on how government functions resources, technologies and capacities,
According to the NDP, developments in while making democracy and public ad- and robust national policies encouraging
“science and technology are fundamen- ministration “more immediate and more the use of public engagement e-tools”
tally altering the way people live, con- direct.” are needed to accelerate progress. n
nect, communicate and transact, with
profound effects on economic growth Silber (2012) reminds us that we are in
and development.” Technology is re- the midst of a “social media revolution”

top 10 e-government countries in africa

Edgi 2016
country region sub-region osi Hci tii Egdi
Level rank
Mauritius Africa Eastern Africa 0,7029 0,7067 0,4596 0,6231 High 58
Tunisia Africa Northern Africa 0,7174 0,6397 0,3476 0,5682 High 72
South Africa Africa Southern Africa 0,5580 0,7253 0,3807 0,5546 High 76
Morocco Africa Northern Africa 0,7391 0,4737 0,3429 0,5186 High 85
Seychelles Africa Eastern Africa 0,4058 0,6861 0,4624 0,5181 High 86
Cape Verde Africa West Africa 0,4565 0,6031 0,3629 0,4742 Medium 103
Egypt Africa Northern Africa 0,4710 0,6048 0,3025 0,4594 Medium 108
Botswana Africa Southern Africa 0,2826 0,6553 0,4215 0,4531 Medium 113
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Africa Northern Africa 0,1087 0,7588 0,4291 0,4322 Medium 118
Kenya Africa Eastern Africa 0,5580 0,5169 0,1808 0,4186 Medium 119

*Note: UN e-government Survey, 1.e. 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016.

12 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW | Volume 11 No. 3 of 2018