The Roadmap for the Digital Transformation of the South African Government addresses the urgent need for a transformative shift in governmental operations

Every day, millions of South Africans rely on the government for essential public services, whether to access a grant, apply for an ID, collect a payment, or register for school. These services should be easier to access, more reliable and less complicated to navigate for the people who depend on them. In recent years, the government has taken important steps to improve the quality of and access to services. Digital platforms have expanded in many areas, making it possible to file taxes, apply for grants and access some services online. But for too many people, the experience of accessing public services remains a time-consuming and expensive exercise. Information is hard to find, processes are often duplicated and some departments still operate in ways that are incompatible with the digital age and the evolving expectations of citizens. These issues affect everyone, but they are most challenging for the poor and those who reside far from government service centres. This roadmap is government’s commitment to change this situation. It sets out a focused plan to modernise how we deliver services by investing in shared systems, improving coordination and removing the barriers that make it difficult for people to get what they need. The roadmap outlines better ways to verify identity, reduce fraud, share data safely, make and receive payments and access services through a single trusted platform. This is the start of a new chapter in how the government delivers. Its success depends on how we work together to implement it across departments, across spheres of government and with the people we serve. This is an opportunity to deliver services differently and to build efficient and seamless government services. This roadmap is a valuable guide. Now we must do the work to make it happen with improved coordination, greater urgency and a shared responsibility.