Siseko Mni - Executive Head of IoT for Public Sector at Vodacom

What is the digital gap? It’s when a senior citizen cannot access basic government services from home, when a job applicant must travel to the nearest government department to obtain and sign a physical Z83 form, or when someone spends hours on the phone to report a burst pipe.

These scenarios may not be problematic for those with the resources to navigate them, but individuals who are less fortunate or living in rural areas are further marginalised due to limited digital access and resources.

We at Vodacom Business believe in more than simply selling products; it aims to provide solutions that make a meaningful impact at every level. To help bridge the government’s digital gap, it is working to connect citizens and enhance access to technology for improved service delivery.

Bridging the governmental digital gap Smartphones are currently the easiest piece of technology to get into people’s hands and play a crucial role in accessing digital solutions. However, smartphones can be costly, and this is where feature phones still have a role. While they don’t have the capabilities of smartphones, they can still run USSD platforms, which can be used to deliver basic access to services. This was evident when we, through our subsidiary company Mezzanine, delivered vouchers to farmer during Covid-19.

Connectivity is the fundamental resource required to bridge the digital gap. Without it, technology falls short, as even the simplest mobile apps rely on internet access. This is why Vodacom has invested in a range of connectivity options, ensuring solutions that support everything from basic internet functions to narrowband IoT for businesses.

We also aim to encourage adoption of tech solutions by government departments. This effort is often hindered by a lack of awareness about available technology, reluctance from older staff and leadership to adopt new systems, and the challenge of aligning departments, each with its own digitisation strategy.

To drive this initiative and address these challenges, we’ve developed a three-point strategy:

Change Management: To encourage older staff and leaders in government departments to embrace tech solutions, it’s essential to help them understand why change is necessary. Some may be attached to their traditional methods, while others may feel that digital adoption threatens their job security, leading to resistance. It’s crucial for department heads to communicate that this change is inevitable and, more importantly, that it can support their work rather than undermine it.

Forcing Legislative Change Through Disruption: If you ask someone why a Z83 form is required for applying to a government job, the answer will likely be that it’s simply mandated by legislation. However, there’s no practical reason for maintaining this outdated approach.

To address this legislative barrier, we need to disrupt the current process by demonstrating digital solutions that are secure and more efficient for sensitive government functions. In doing so, we hope lawmakers will recognize the benefits of these advancements and be motivated to adapt legislation, empowering digital solutions for a more streamlined future.

Improve Procurement Processes: To purchase technology for government use, a tender process is required. When handled manually, this can be time-consuming—a real setback in the fast-evolving tech landscape. By the time the process concludes, a more advanced technology may already be available, meaning that the government may not be acquiring the most cutting-edge solution.

Once the legislative barriers are addressed, the next goal will be to implement a streamlined, tech-driven tender process to accelerate purchasing, ensuring that government acquires the latest and best-in-class technology.

Vodacom Business has already seen success in collaborating with various government departments. During the Covid-19 lockdown, we partnered with government to provide tech solutions aimed at assisting the healthcare sector to flatten the curve, through our subsidiary Mezzanine. Mezzanine used its IoT-driven Stock Visibility Solution (SVS) tech to track medicine and other supplies like gloves, masks, sanitiser and visors, providing a supply chain management solution for 350 public hospitals and 3 500 primary healthcare facilities.

We also digitised school applications with the Gauteng Department of Education, and partnered with Eskom to manage and track coal transportation from pick-up point to drop-off point.

This means that we have the skills, the knowledge and the experience to provide a variety of tech solutions to achieve our goals of bridging the government’s digital gap, and make services more accessible to the general public.

www.vodacombusiness.co.za