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THE 2009 THEME |
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The GovTech 2009 theme - "Doing ICT for the citizens" -
focuses on citizen-centricity. It aims to explore the worldwide trend towards greater integration
between government agencies at all levels, enabled by information and
communication technology (ICT) and driven by the new, citizen-centric
paradigm of governance and the constant search for greater efficiency
and cost-effectiveness of the public sector.
Today's citizens live in a world where information is abundantly
available. New communications technologies have removed the physical
barriers that used to constrain where and when people work.
Communication is now a 24/7 activity. Work is something we do rather
than a place we go. Citizens now expect to transact with service
providers and government when it is convenient to them. There is also
growing pressure on government to deliver services through electronic
channels, such as the Internet and mobile telephony.
In practice, this implies that government's services must be constructed
and delivered in a way that makes the most sense for the citizen -
irrespective of agency boundaries, in the manner of citizens' own
choosing and with the backing of considerable communication and readily
available support - so that citizens feel well equipped to conduct their
business with the government.
A citizen-centric approach to public service delivery requires
transforming and integrating government processes from the "outside-in",
with the needs, perspectives, improvement priorities, and satisfaction
of South Africans foremost in mind.
Re-organisation will have to be radical and across organisational
boundaries, challenging traditional structures and service delivery
monoliths. More importantly, e-government must move beyond online
information to fully transactional, citizen-centric and personalised
services that deliver the high value added that citizens expect. Also,
while investment in infrastructure and leveraging the power of
electronic channels are fundamental to citizen-centric service delivery,
the governance characteristics of transparency and trust are critical in
legitimating the investment and in creating the conditions for
widespread usage of services.
In fact, a citizen-centric approach to service delivery is essential if
government wants to reap the benefit of its previous investment in the
e-government field. It will also help government departments to
streamline their future investments to get maximum benefit out of it.
Delivering true citizen-centric public services, however, cannot be done
by government alone: it will require the innovative use of technology
done in partnership with ICT players and by learning from best practices
employed by public sector counterparts in other countries.
There should be a clearer focus on technologies that use
citizen-relevant channels to deliver citizen-public value, rather than
just to deliver efficiency gains and cost savings. The technology
component of e-government services should aim to use 'everyday' and
commonplace technologies to maximise inclusion and utility, and to avoid
unnecessary demands (skills, device purchase etc.) on citizens.
Furthermore, government must monitor and understand citizen technology
competencies so as to prepare for continuous technology exploitation as
the ICT landscape changes.
To explore these and other burning issues that represent the very
essence of citizen-centricity, GovTech 2009 will feature a range of
global best practices and explore technologies used to service citizens
better, address specific issues and challenges, and present new,
practical solutions aimed at improving service delivery to South African
citizens.
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