Business

Why isn’t SA like Estonia?

The South African state doesn’t want to digitise itself.

09 May 2023

In March, the small Balkan country of Estonia made history when more people voted online than in person during its national election. It's the latest milestone for what Wired has called the most digitally advanced country in the world, where the state is paperless, 99% of all government services are online, and you can get public WiFi in the wilderness.

None of that will surprise people who have heard of Estonia, a tiny nation tucked between the Balkans, Scandinavia and Russia. One of the original Viking regions, Estonia had been under the yoke of different nations and empires for centuries, finally gaining independence in the early 20th century before being annexed by the Russians.

ITWeb Premium

Get 3 months of unlimited access
No credit card. No obligation.

Already a subscriber Log in