Johannesburg, 22 Nov 2022
Service delivery is a phrase uttered often in South Africa, usually in the context of a lack of it. However, this does not mean the public sector is not seeking new ways to improve on the services it delivers. Most notably, the potential exists for government to leverage internet of things (IOT) technology to enhance capabilities, streamline processes, unlock efficiencies and, ultimately, deliver more to citizens.
Unfortunately, while the adoption of IOT in the public sector is taking place, the uptake remains quite slow, suggests Lebohang Monaheng, Senior Manager for Digital Innovative Solutions at Sizwe Africa IT Group.
“There are certainly pockets within government – notably state-owned enterprises – where IOT is being adopted quite rapidly, but many government departments remain behind the curve. However, this is expected to change as we move forward, as many municipalities have multi-year economic growth and development plans, which outline their move towards becoming smart cities – and the IOT is absolutely critical to a smart transition,” he says.
“The fact that they understand the IOT and have longer term plans in place to leverage it demonstrates that they realise its importance, it is simply that their IOT plans have not yet come to fruition.”
Monaheng adds that this means there are many opportunities to drive IOT uptake further, particularly with parastatals like water and electricity, as well as those large industrial environments, where the value of IOT sensors would be incalculable.
“It is all about engagement,” he says, “talking to the public sector around the benefits IOT can offer and how suppliers can meet their specific requirements. One area where there has been notable interest is in the security arena, where IOT cameras offer enormous advantages over standard solutions.
“The complexity of IOT and its related solutions means that however the government ultimately chooses to leverage it, they will need to work with the right partner. Essentially, a business that has both the experience and the technology, and one that is qualified to design, implement and support an IOT solution at scale.”
Aadiel Ayob, Executive: Innovative Enterprise Services and Solutions at Sizwe Africa IT Group, agrees, noting that the ideal government partner would be one that offers devices and systems, can set them up according to best practice and will deliver the requisite levels of support.
“Sizwe Africa IT Group has vast technology experience and a host of relevant skills in the IOT space, which is also crucial, since there is a shortage of these skills in the market at present. But more than this, given the company’s experience in networking, it can supplement its offering with high skilled network engineers that can ensure effective connectivity, which is very much the foundation that a successful IOT strategy is built on,” he adds.
“We are aware that there is some scepticism around the issue of security and how secure IOT devices really are, quite logically so, given the expanding threat surface and the increasing number of attack vectors. For this reason, security, much like connectivity, is a core part of Sizwe’s overall IOT solution.”
He explains that the IOT is ideal for driving efficiencies into the service delivery model, pointing to an example of sensors fitted to municipal rubbish bins, that can inform the department when the bin is full and ready for collection. This would enable them to leverage real-time data to plan the most efficient route – saving time, fuel and quickly eliminating the health issues associated with overfilled bins.
“Ultimately, the IOT is a technology that offers government a wide range of benefits: not only will it allow them to do more with less, but analysis of the data continuously collected by sensors should lead to improved decision-making and drive increased innovation. Furthermore, the IOT leads to reduced operational costs, because everything can be remotely managed and controlled, without the need for human intervention.
“Most crucially, though, is that the more the IOT is implemented, connecting previously unconnected devices or objects, the more rapidly the public sector will be able improve service delivery, lay a foundation for a more connected society and begin to create truly smart cities,” he concludes.
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Sizwe Africa IT Group
Sizwe Africa IT Group is one of South Africa’s leading integrated IT solutions providers. It is a passionate, skilled and rapidly-expanding partner of choice for many progressive organisations; both in the public and private sector.
Over the past 20 years, Sizwe has established a nationwide footprint on the back of an impressive track record based on its ability to provide and deploy effective, resilient and reliable solutions.
Sizwe also partners with leading hardware and software vendors.