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Tech will solve service delivery woes

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 24 Aug 2016
Public sector and civil servants can no longer treat innovation as an optional extra, says minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi.
Public sector and civil servants can no longer treat innovation as an optional extra, says minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi.

Government ministers have intensified calls for more innovative technology solutions that will positively impact and improve the lives of citizens.

Public service and administration minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi has become the latest government official to urge public servants to come up with innovative solutions to address the needs of all South Africans.

According to Ramatlhodi, innovation should be at the centre of service delivery for government to positively impact on the lives of everyone in the country.

Ramatlhodi, speaking at the Centre for Public Service Innovation's 10th public sector innovation conference in Cape Town, said government departments and state institutions must get the basics right and refrain from viewing innovation in isolation.

He stated: "Innovation should be allowed to thrive within the public sector, and civil servants can no longer treat it as an optional extra, but must institutionalise it in order to deliver services better, faster and more efficiently.

"As our insight into processes improves and technology develops, new opportunities arise to shorten or improve service delivery value chains. Some services may even become obsolete as new service channels are made possible."

Budget constraints

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been vocal about the importance of innovation in improving local service delivery and addressing the challenges facing local governments.

Earlier this year, minister Naledi Pandor bemoaned the lack of SA's investment in technology and innovation.

Pandor said failure to address the funding in science, technology and innovation is causing the country to neglect several sectors that could offer local talent, new products and real contributions to growth.

The DST, which is in charge of driving the country's innovation initiatives, was allocated a budget of R7.4 billion for the 2016/17 financial year, the same as last year.

According to the department, for the 2016/2017 financial year, it will pilot a grassroots innovation initiative with a R2 million investment that will focus on supporting innovators and technology entrepreneurs in the informal sector and marginalised communities.

Driving innovation

Ramatlhodi noted the Department of Home Affairs' e-channel, which allows for the application of smart ID cards and passports online, is a perfect example of an advanced solution delivering services to the public.

The Department of Health is also using innovation to positively impact the lives of all South Africans. Last month, it was announced a robotic machine that dispenses antiretroviral drugs to patients infected by HIV will be piloted at the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg.

For innovation to be successful, it should be contextually relevant and be able to address the root causes of service delivery failures, said Ramatlhodi.

He explained: "Due to the urgency and pressure to find solutions to service delivery challenges, public officials should be on alert not to be caught up in the euphoria of glitzy, off-the-shelf and ready-made overrated solutions that are costly but with unsatisfactory outcomes.

"Sustainable development requires multiple, targeted and effectively coordinated interventions. A silo approach will not only lead to an inefficient utilisation of scarce resources, but the development impact will also be compromised," he concluded.

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