Issued by: Dept of Post and Telecommunication
4 March 1998
Cabinet today approved the framework proposal for the development of a national information and communication technology strategy for all three spheres of government.
The key elements of the strategy are:
Improving the technology capability of government through the creation of a number of technology projects of which the foundation will be a high-speed fibre optic backbone;
Improving service offered to all citizens by offering a one-stop shop through the use of smartcards and public information terminals.
Developing legislation on cyber laws such as digital signatures and encryption that will allow e-commerce to become a reality.
"The use of information technology will allow government to offer and efficient an effective standardised service to citizens in all areas on a 24-hour basis. This will be done through the introduction of public information terminals and community information centres," Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting Minister Jay Naidoo says.
"The result of this will be a much more dynamic interaction between government an the people and see a substantial reduction in bureaucracy.
We want to see an increase in government efficiency and effectivenes and in so doing, reduce corruption and fraud and improve ordinary people's access to government information."
Naidoo says the Cabinet approval meant government could begin the mammoth task of co-ordinating the development of the strategy as well as individual projects to be introduced in the short, medium and long-term.
New key projects and existing projects will be integrated into the strategy.
The Department of Communications will also convene an investment cluster on information and communication technologies. This will include the departments of Trade and Industry, Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Public Service and Administration, Finance, Public Enterprises and Justice and will aim to
- prepare legislation for e-commerce, digital signature, multimedia convergence and encryption as a priority;
- establish a committee to urgently look into the development of a multi-purpose smartcard;
- research and develop key applications for the one-stop shop and citizens on-line.
"My department will be responsible for developing government on-line, Intranet for government and all applications to facilitate the development of a one-stop shop for government services using the fibre optic backbone developed by Telkom," he says.
"A cost benefit analysis will be developed by my office and presented to the budgetary committee during the next budgetary cycle."