Gauteng reacts to technological disruption through digitisation

Digital Platform, e-Services and Applications (Pillar 2)

The Department has consolidated all the provincial government websites into a single Digital Platform. The Digital Platform provides a single window for citizens to access government services and information and aims to provide a common environment shared by multiple e-Government services to save citizen costs, time and visits to government departments.

The Digital Platform currently hosts in excess of 93 government services and are actively working on ensuring that all government services can be accessed from the Digital Platform.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of ensuring that citizens are able to access and interact with government from the comfort and safety of their homes. A total of 17 new services have been placed on the platform since the start of the pandemic.

Provincial ICT Oversight and Governance (Pillar 3)

The Department has strengthened and enhanced the ICT oversight and governance of the province through the development of a number of critical provincial ICT policies and strategies. These include the following:

• The ICT Master Systems Plan
• The ICT Continuity Management Framework
• ICT Norms and Standards
• The Cybersecurity Strategy
• The Gauteng ICT Skills Development Strategy and
• The Big Data Strategy

The Department has facilitated the establishment of a provincial 4IR Panel that is comprised of a number of leaders in the ICT field to support the transition of the province into the 4th Industrial revolution. The Panel is currently in the process of drafting a 4IR Strategy for the province.

ICT Solutions Advocacy, Facilitation and Communication (Pillar 4)

The Department has promoted the utilisation and rollout of Employee Self Services. Employee Self Service has been rolled out to all provincial government departments.

All e-services developed and facilitated by the Department, and which are on the Digital Platform, are actively promoted.

ICT Industry Stimulation and Skills Development (Pillar 5)

A crucial component of in the digital transformation of the province and the modernising the public service is ensuring that our citizens as well as provincial government staff have the necessary skills to successfully operate within this environment.

In this regard the Department has, in 2019, developed the Gauteng ICT Skills Development Strategy to address skills development for the youth in data analytics, the internet-of-things, block chain and machine learning, to enable training of young people to develop and operate new technologies. Since then the Department has supported 1657 youth, 6529 staff and 95 township-based ICT entrepreneurs through various ICT skills development programmes and this will continue to be a priority for the Department.

In terms of stimulating the economy the Department achieved a phenomenal 51% of its procurement spend on RFQs below R500 000 on township suppliers.

How far are we in creating a ‘Smart’ Government?

The department has continued to digitize government services and to date the department has collaborated with other Provincial Departments, National Departments and Municipalities to ensure that citizens continue to receive seamless services. This is mostly through the Gauteng Digital Platform which is a website that houses various online services. It is accessed through the www.gauteng.gov.za URL.

In the last two years, the department has gone live with more than 30 new e-Services on the platform that are for Government, Business and Citizens. The Gauteng Digital platform has more than 100 e-Services with +5 Mobile APPS and a Zero Rated USSD *134*GPGSA# *134*47472# that allows all stakeholders to consume services anytime and anywhere at their own comfort. While essential services such as those that relate to the education sector are data free.

e-Gov is in discussion with different institution of higher learning, such as Design and Validation Centre (DAV Centre). University of the Witwatersrand, Tshimologong Innovation Precinct , University of Johannesburg, TVET colleges to create partnerships to champion the aspects of the 4IR, such as research, skills development,  promote innovation for the delivery of government services , test all the technology that is deployed in the province such as the Grade 1 and 8 school registration system, as well as develop township entrepreneurs within the ICT sector.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the projects in the previous year?

e-Gov has remained on course with its implementation of projects to modernise the provincial government. Yes, we were not prepared for such a massive change but this has boosted our existence extensively.

We have had more work added to our plate in the form of ensuring that the province staff is well prepared for remote working. In most cases employees and managers have now reached working arrangements that allow the continued delivery of services.

Through the department, the province has provided connectivity infrastructure to ensure business continuity during this time of a disaster. The pandemic propelled the uptake of our current ICT infrastructure and e-Services.

For an example we have developed a pre-screening application to ensure that employees and clients are screened when they access our buildings, enabling monitoring and easier contact tracing.

We have provided systems that enabled the Department of Education to provide home learning content, and school material for all grades as well as Big Data analytical systems on grade and school performance.

The Department provided an updated recruitment platform that ensured that at least over 7000 youth brigades are deployed to assist in providing the necessary administrative support to government to enforce health and safety protocols in schools.

The Department activated 21 698 Microsoft Teams User Licenses; to enable off site working for government employees.

We have succeeded in ensuring that the data and Information Technology of the province remained secure, robust, reliable, available and trusted during this period.

Challenges that we are facing in the digital sphere

The government fiscas is shrinking every year. This is having a negative impact on our role to digitise services. Key critical ICT skills are hard to find. It is difficult for government to compete with the private sector for these skills. We have however invested in ICT skills development programmes which are going to assist us create our own set of skills. Last year, we conducted various skills programmes across Gauteng. These where well received by young people and we are planning on conducting more this year.

What have we planned for the remainder of the term of administration?

The key projects planned for the year are as follows:

• Continue with Government Service digitization while closing the digital divide i.e. Implementing e-Tendering to increase visibility of procurement and e-Invoicing
• Continue to empower SMME in ICT Sector Skills through various support programmes and skills development initiatives
• Develop and implement the provincial e-Waste Strategy
• Take ICT Training to the community through government funded online courses
• Develop and Implement the provincial 4IR Strategy
• Increase Gauteng Broadband Network Infrastructure through alternative funding mechanisms, including the commercialisation of the Network
• Implement a hybrid Cloud solution for the province
• Enhance the capabilities of a new Security Operations Centre for the province

We don’t know what the future holds for us but we all need to get ready for a new world order. We will defeat this virus but it will leave us with deep scars in our hearts. However from this, we embrace what digitisation offers to the modern society. Government shouldn’t lack behind but lead in this transformation phase.

Department Contact Details

Physical Address:

Imbumba House

75 Fox Street

Johannesburg

South Africa

2001

Postal Address:

Private Bag X112

Marshaltown

Johannesburg

2107

Telephone Number: 011 689 6000

Fax Number: 011 355 2112

Email Address:egovcommunications@gauteng.gov.za

Website Address: www.gauteng.gov.za