Minister Solly Malatsi welcomes launch of Roadmap for the Digital Transformation of the South African Government
The government has launched a plan to modernise the delivery of essential services, aiming to make it easier for citizens to conduct administrative tasks with the state.
This initiative is outlined in the Roadmap for the Digital Transformation of Government, which provides a strategic plan for enhancing government services through investment in digital public infrastructure.
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi welcomed the roadmap's launch at the Gallagher Convention Centre on May 12.
'With this roadmap, we are moving from a fragmented past to a unified, people-first, whole-of-government approach,' Malatsi stated. 'This roadmap is more than just a plan to use technology, it is a transformative vision to fundamentally change how citizens interact with their government.'
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The roadmap supports the digital transformation pillar of phase two of Operation Vulindlela, which President Cyril Ramaphosa initiated on May 7 this year. It aims to fulfill the Government of National Unity's commitment to inclusive growth, efficient service delivery, and ensuring that all South Africans can access government services.
As a flagship initiative of the 7th administration, the roadmap is based on Digital Public Infrastructure principles, focusing on delivering integrated public services safely, securely, and seamlessly. At its core, the roadmap seeks to establish a 'one person, one government, one touch' system – a single, trusted platform that connects citizens to services.
Collectively, these initiatives will help us achieve our vision of an inclusive, secure, and people-centred digital government. 'Together, they will demonstrate to the world what we mean by 'one person, one government, one touch.' Our goal is to ensure that citizens have a convenient, cost-effective, reliable, and user-friendly digital experience with government services.'
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The Inter-Departmental Working Group, co-chaired by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and National Treasury, will collaborate with various government departments to implement the initiatives outlined in the roadmap.
These initiatives include the rollout of a Digital Identity System for remote identity verification, the creation of a Data Exchange Framework to streamline government processes, the introduction of a Digital Payments System for secure transactions, and a zero-rated Digital Services Platform that allows citizens to access government services without incurring data charges.
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For ordinary South Africans, this means that tasks such as renewing a driver's licence, applying for social grants, or accessing health records will become simpler, faster, and more affordable.
The roadmap is not just about modernising systems, it is about reclaiming people's time, reducing the cost of accessing services, and ensuring that government services operate as efficiently as the best private sector platforms.
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