E-Governance policy 1999-2009 : paths and limitations to progress

Abstract

Electronic governance is a sophisticated coming together of a wide range of information and communication technologies with non-technological measures and resources, in order to enhance the quality of service delivery to the public, to promote interactive communications between government and citizens or government and business, and to address development challenges, in any particular society. As a national policy department, the Department of Public Service and Administration is responsible for public policy on electronic governance in the South African public service. How has it performed? In order to respond to this question, a number of contributing factors to successful e-governance are briefly examined. The individual features are then tied into a conceptual framework against which to situate the strengths and weaknesses of public policy on e-governance. The article takes as its starting point the 1998 report of the Presidential Review Commission. It then reviews key policy and strategy documents from the period 1999 to 2009 against the e-governance conceptual framework, in order to interpret lessons to be learnt.