Topic: “sharing of Telecommunications Platforms for the Development and Implementation of e-Services”
Dr Ntsibane Ntlatlapa - Networks and Media Competency Area Manager, CSIR Meraka Institute
Ms Juanita Clark, CEO, FTTH Council South Africa
Ms Loren Braithwaite Kabosha, CEO SACF
Mr Lubabalo Dyantyi, Public Sector Executive MEA Group,
Ms Puleng Kwele, CEO, Broadband Infraco
Mr Zami Nkosi, CEO, USAASA
Extinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good Morning
Introduction
Allow me to start by first congratulating the organisers of this momentous event, e-Strategies Africa, for being able to pull together this event once more. We have had a very successful event last year which comprised of government, academia and the private sector. A lot has been learnt from the session and that has prompted all of us to start making a movement and engaging one another. Even this year, deliberations in this event should form part of our building blocks towards taking action in providing electronic services. There is a great need to be able to link our work of the e-Strategies with the Internet revolution. The Internet is one of the most important developmental tools.
Taking from the words of the organisers, it is widely accepted that any e-Strategy is only as good as the infrastructure on which it is built. As one of the key objectives of the discussion in this round table, we will therefore need to determine the roles and responsibilities of government and private sector in the deployment of this infrastructure. We have already learnt as a country that deploying infrastructure can be a capital intensive exercise and duplication must be avoided at all costs.
Clarification is therefore needed on what is already being planned and by whom to avoid duplication of infrastructure. It is particularly important to clarify the role of Telkom as the lead agency in this regard. Government has the responsibility to ensure that the partnership with Telkom will be beneficial to Government over the medium to long-term. The partnership should achieve value for money for government and enables the state to achieve its vision of a wholesale open access network. To implement the project, two phases have been identified.
The first phase seeks to connect Government facilities in 8 identified districts to stimulate investment. Altogether 5803 facilities will be connected over a three-year period starting with 1306 facilities comprising of 857 schools, 173 health facilities and 276 Government offices during the 2015/2016 financial year. The second phase will see the deployment of significant infrastructure that will have to be undertaken to reach the areas that are currently not covered.
In terms of financing the development and implementation of e-Services, a clear financial model is needed that determines where finance is coming from, who is providing it and what it is being invested in. An important outcome of the discussion will be to establish this clarity.
While connectivity is obviously key to the successful provision of e-Services and will be discussed in detail by a dedicated round table at eStrategies Africa 2015, it is also important that access to broadband services is made a priority, particularly in schools and healthcare centres.
The panel will seek to establish clarity on how this access will be achieved in all areas of South African society including rural areas and underserviced urban conurbations. What framework will be adopted to accelerate this process and what are the key drivers involved? A focus will also be made on applications. South Africa is rightly focused on broadband and free Wi-Fi but little is being done in the areas that make the difference – applications. This panel must seek to establish a clear understanding of how government could partner better with the private sector at a level that benefits the nation and all citizens.
In addressing all these issues and more, the panel must also seek to review the existing strategy for e-Services provision in South Africa and make clear recommendations for improvements.
The National Development Plan, 2030 (NDP) - “Information and communications infrastructure
We are all gathered here in the spirit of the National Development Plan which encourages partnerships at all levels, i.e. government, private sector and civil society.
The National Development Plan has the following Key Features:
- Providing overarching goals to be achieved by 2030.
- Building consensus on the key obstacles and specific actions to be undertaken.
- Providing a common framework for detailed planning.
- Creating a basis for making choices about how best to use limited resources.
The National Development Plan is founded on the following six pillars:
- Mobilisation of all South Africans
- Active engagement of citizens in their own development
- Expansion of the economy & making growth inclusive
- Building of key capabilities:(human, physical & institutional)
- Building a capable & developmental state
- Fostering of strong leadership throughout society
Implementing NDP and manifesto through MTSF
The Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) is government’s first five year implementation plan of the National Development Plan (NDP), covering the financial years 2014/15 to 2018/2019. The plan is being implemented in line with already existing activities and programmes of different government departments and various other government agencies. There are 14 outcomes which are aligned with the National Development Plan:
- Quality basic education
- A long and healthy life for all
- All people in South Africa are and feel safe
- Decent employment through inclusive economic growth
- Skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path
- An efficient, competitive and responsive economic infrastructure network
- Vibrant, equitable, sustainable rural communities contributing to food security for all
- Sustainable human settlements and improved quality of household life
- Responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system
- Protect and enhance our environmental assets and natural resources
- Create a better South Africa, a better Africa and a better world
- An efficient, effective and development oriented public service
- Social protection
- Nation building and social cohesion
The National ICT Policy Review Process
The National ICT Policy Review process was concluded in March 2015 and delivered the following key milestones:
- Framing Paper: A Framing Paper issued in April 2013 sought input on what the objectives and goals of policy should be. These principles remain largely the same as those set in 1994, though the means to realise these have changed.
- Research: Under the direction and guidance of the Panel, the Department commissioned research which provided input into the formulation of the Green Paper.
- A Green Paper released in January 2014 reflected on achievements against the original vision, and asked what have been the major impediments to implementation and what core issues and problems need to be addressed in future policy.
- A Discussion Paper was published in November 2014. It presented a range of policy options and possible policy approaches to realise the objectives set in the Framing Paper.
- A Recommendations Report.
Part of the recommendations of the ICT Policy Review process was to have a single e-Government Policy and Strategy. The purpose of these two documents was to ensure that all the priorities of government are aligned. It also recommended the current role of SITA must be reviewed.
The development of a National e-Strategy calls for a serious collaboration and consultation in the public and private sectors. The requirement to develop a national e-strategy is articulated in the National Development Plan (NDP). The Department is also influenced by the ITU which calls for member states to develop their national e-strategies.
E-Government Initiatives within Government
The DTPS is working closely with SITA in the development of the e-strategies strategy and implementation plan. In the absence of a national e-strategy the reliance is on the MTFS guidelines that are used to define priority departments and e-services. There are currently a number of government activities underway that the e-strategy plan needs to align to. SITA in partnership with the department is already in the process of establishing a Governance Committee represented by all stakeholders to receive approval on the e-government framework and plan to accelerate planning and implementation of e-government.
There are five priority e-services outlined in the MTSF and they are as follows:
- Department of Home Affairs (DHA);
- Department of Basic Education (DBE);
- Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET);
- Department of Social Development (DSD);
- Department of Health (DoH);
- Department of Labour (DoL);
- South African Police Services (SAPS); and
- Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD); and COGTA (municipalities).
e – Justice System
Within the country, the process of digitising courts have already started under the name, Integrated Justice System. To this end seven departments are currently participating in this initiative. What still needs to be addressed as part of the process is the improvement of efficiency and turn-around time. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is the most important stakeholder to this process due to dependencies on the modernisation project and data held by DHA.
e – Government Strategies
Currently SITA has committed to delivering 20 e-services in SITA’s 2015/2016 Annual Performance Plan (APP). DPSA is one of the key stakeholders together with DTPS assigned to support SITA in the development and implementation of the e-government plan.
There is a need for data analytics to be conducted in order to assist with the assessment of the performance of government departments’ e-stragies. At the moment there are a lot of strategies/policies that are developed from various foras that need to be integrated and input must be received from each stakeholder to ensure an integrated approach to e-Government planning and implementation. There is a need to ensure that each strategy is supported by funding.
