The Role of E-Government in the Promotion of Municipal Service Delivery in South Africa

Abstract

The advent of the fourth industrial revolution necessitates that government institutions move away from the traditional paper-based system to an electronic system. Many countries in Africa, including South Africa, have adopted the e-government system as one of the main delivery channels for municipal services and information to society (Mafunisa Consulting, 2021). However, despite the government's ability to establish a new public service model where all government agencies provide their constituents with modern, streamlined, and seamless services (Norris and Moon, 2005). Municipalities in South Africa are regarded as entities that provide direct services to the citizens, however are not financially self-sufficient and often lack the necessary infrastructure such as ICT infrastructure to carry out their duties to deliver e-services to the society at large (Development Bank of South Africa, 2023). Many people in rural areas are affected by the lack of ICT infrastructures and basic digital literacy to enable the participation and accessibility of digital services. Therefore, for the society to participate in e-government, it should be proficient with ICT skills, assisted by the availability of ICT infrastructure within their area. As a result, these people are left out of the participation of e-government services due to the complexities associated with the lack of ICT infrastructure. Because the ICT infrastructure is the backbone and a critical component for implementing the e-government system to ensure digital public administration. Therefore, the study examines the role of e-government in the promotion of municipal service delivery within the South African public sector environment. The main objective of the study is to establish the best electronic government mechanisms that will help the South African government in delivering sustainable services. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology with specific reference to a conceptual approach based extensively on secondary data.