The North West province has accelerated its transition to a fully-integrated, technology-driven administration, with premier Lazarus Mokgosi declaring the provincial government is now operating on a “modern digital foundation built for the future”.
Speaking at a media briefing this week, Mokgosi outlined progress made in the province’s digital transformation programme, signalling a shift away from manual processes.
He confirmed the province had delivered on commitments made during the State of the Province Address earlier this year, with key digital systems going live on 1 April.
The shift comes amid growing global momentum towards digital government, with research firm Gartner predicting that at least 80% of governments will deploy AI-driven systems to automate routine administrative processes by 2028.
At the centre of the transformation is the internal SmartGov platform, now operational across all provincial departments. Mokgosi described this as a move from fragmented, paper-based administration to a fully integrated and automated system designed to streamline government operations.
“Departments are currently undergoing a structured onboarding process that includes training officials and aligning internal workflows with the new system,” he said.
The phased rollout, he explained, is designed to ensure stability, while gradually eliminating manual processes and embedding digital operations into daily government functions.
“SmartGov is expected to automate a wide range of administrative and procurement processes, including submissions, approvals, invoice tracking and contract management.”
According to Mokgosi, this will improve efficiency and strengthen transparency and accountability across departments.
He added that the system would also create a more predictable operating environment for businesses, particularly small and emerging enterprises seeking to access government opportunities.
A key feature of the rollout is the introduction of real-time monitoring and evaluation capabilities within the Office of the Premier. The system integrates reporting across provincial departments, state-owned entities and municipalities, providing live performance data through interactive dashboards.
This, Mokgosi said, will enable faster decision-making, improve oversight and allow for the early identification of risks.
Beyond administrative reform, the province is modernising its broader digital infrastructure, including migrating from legacy systems to Microsoft 365 and adopting the Microsoft Azure cloud environment. These changes are aimed at supporting a more collaborative and mobile workforce, while ensuring scalability and resilience.
Cyber security has also been reinforced through advanced endpoint protection measures, with all implementations carried out under the frameworks of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to ensure compliance with national regulations.
He said the initiative extends beyond government operations, with a focus on economic inclusion and skills development. Partnerships with Microsoft and Boxfusion will deliver training programmes for public servants, support local ICT businesses and provide digital skills development opportunities for young people at no cost to the province.
Looking ahead, the next phase will prioritise the expansion of broadband infrastructure to connect government institutions, schools, healthcare facilities and communities.
Mokgosi said this would extend the benefits of digital transformation beyond government systems into society at large, forming the backbone of a “smart province”.
He described the initiative as laying the foundation for a North West digital government platform that integrates systems, data, infrastructure and connectivity into a unified ecosystem designed to improve service delivery and responsiveness.
“The North West Provincial Government is not only envisioning a digital future, we are actively building it, we are implementing it, and we are delivering it,” he said.
The SmartGov rollout also aligns with broader efforts to digitise public sector procurement, including SITA’s automated supply chain management platform unveiled last year, aimed at improving efficiency and real-time visibility across procurement processes.
However, challenges remain. A report by the Auditor-General of South Africa highlights persistent barriers to digital transformation, noting that many government ICT projects fail to meet targets related to time, cost, quality and business expectations.
Share
