Focusing on the positive

My initial impression of GovTech, the inaugural State IT Agency (SITA) conference hosted by the minister of public service and administration, was that it was a valiant attempt by government to reconnect with its constituency - people that are craving service delivery and tired of excuses masking what seems to be incompetence.

On arrival, however, I was met by long lines of frustrated delegates, trying to contain their pent-up rage as they attempted to register themselves on an ailing system that kept administrators rushing around putting out fires.

For two hours I stood, watching, shaking my head in disbelief, and periodically taking deep breaths to calm my frayed nerves.

It was the initial closed session that eroded my erroneous assumptions about the conference.

Then a remark was made by one of the speakers that SA should unite to stage a world-class performance in the 2010 World Cup. He continued to say that SA should use this brief moment as a catalyst to catapult itself into the digital world. I paused. In that brief moment I was hit by a realisation. It is easy for me, as a journalist, to frequently criticise government on issues that make for good scandals, but are, at times, irrelevant.

Government is one of the biggest ICT spenders, which always makes for juicy content and controversial comment. Government actions and non-actions affect us all.

Then, there is the "occasional" government mess-up. Like a haughty woman falling down the stairs and ending up with her dress over her head - it's classic. Let's face it: whichever way you look at it, reporting on government shortfalls keeps a lot of journalists in business.

It is the minister's intention to eradicate "civil servant mentality" from government officials and the perception of it from the general public.

Bandile Sikwane

Then there's that word "incompetence". It seems too often that when the word is used, it's linked to government in some way or another. Still, it's safe to say incompetence is everywhere. I recently had to wait four months for furniture I'd purchased to arrive. The store was immensely incompetent when it came to service delivery.

Who has not had the misfortune of being juggled around by a call centre? How many of us, at one time or another, have not been frustrated when taking a car for a service or left wondering, why, if there are eight tills, are there only three attendants on duty? We should not discriminate when it comes to smearing the incompetence word, but call it as it is, from wherever we see it, government included.

I decided to find positive aspects about GovTech. It would be all too easy to pick at the bad points. What emerged from this moment of introspection was a less critical view of the serious nature with which minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi approached the issues of e-governance and SA moving towards a knowledge economy.

So intense was she that numerous speakers at the conference spoke with an urgency that they attributed to the minister's wishes. As I was mingling with the important people, one let slip that it was the minister's intention to eradicate "civil servant mentality" from government officials and the perception of it from the general public. So hot was this topic that some of the most "important" figureheads refused to comment on this issue, fearing the minister's ire.

Journalists have to report objectively on what they hear and see, as well as keep the government honest. It was then that I snapped out of my internal philosophical debate. At times the government and industry need a good cynic and a sceptic. How else would any government or service provider be motivated to keep promises made to citizens and customers?

GovTech was well attended by industry, this is an honest fact. Industry comment was pertinent and on point. It was also hailed as dialogue to stimulate change. I will wait for this change with great anticipation and impatience. I'm looking forward to an accessible government that delivers services efficiently and effectively, without civil servant mentality (perceived or not).

If all this cumulates into another talk show, then it might be fitting for government to have its own brief moment of introspection.