Geci Karuri-Sebina, Associate Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), was the PC Chair of ICEGOV 2024 (1-4 October). In this interview, she shares her insights about the conference and comments on South Africa's excellent performance in the latest UN E-Government Survey.
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Karuri-Sebina works on innovation systems, urban development policy and governance, and futures and foresight.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Sociology, a Master's in Urban Planning and Architecture, and a PhD from the University of Witwatersrand.
UNU-EGOV: How was the experience, and what was the impact on South Africa of organising one of the most important international EGOV conferences?
Geci Karuri-Sebina (GKS): The decision to host ICEGOV in South Africa was quite purposeful for us. Together with our partners at the Centre for Public Service Innovation and the Department of Public Service and Administration, we embarked upon the SA:EU Dialogues on Digital Governance that South Africa was a part of in 2022. This multi-stakeholder partnership inspired us to engage with UNU and ICEGOV, and we began to see how these relationships could enhance and steer our domestic digital transformation agenda. This means that the organising was a shared effort, and it was powerful to see what is possible when the stakeholders pull together with purpose.
All this to say that it was more than just an event for us. ICEGOV 2024 was a platform for learning, sharing, and building relevant connections on key digital themes within South Africa, Africa, and more globally. We feel that this was achieved, which offers everyone a meaningful experience.
I have been saying that it was intense but generative and memorable!
UNU-EGOV: What conclusions do you draw from all the discussions and debates held during the different conference sessions?
GKS: The Conference was wide-ranging in the topics addressed, but some recurring key messages that really stayed with me:
- The importance of purpose in digital transformation. We need to centre communities, their development, growth and inclusivity.
- The importance of Digital Public Goods and Infrastructure for Africa is particularly motivated (but also problematised) by delegates from Nigeria and also by Indian and Brazilian commentators.
- There is a need for digital awareness, capacity building, and skills development across society, specifically in civil service internationally.
- The urgency of considering and mitigating new digital security issues and risks
- The importance of digital sovereignty
… And there was much more. I am still processing!
UNU-EGOV: According to the latest UN E-Government Survey, South Africa has risen to the top of the African continent in this field. What factors contributed to the country's jump of 25 globally ranking positions to 40th place in just two years?
GKS: Well, we were pleased by the result and are still interrogating the data to gain clearer insight into areas of progress and potential linkages. So, responding anecdotally, there are several ways one could begin trying to answer this:
Obviously, there has been a lot of ongoing digital policy, implementation and governance work going on in South Africa, which may be starting to yield visible results in all three index areas: online services, telecommunications infrastructure, and human capital. In relation to this, it would seem that one primary reason is likely to be the continued rollout of broadband across much of the country. South Africa has made significant strides in broadband rollout, especially fibre and 5G, driven by both public and private sector initiatives.
Another potential factor would be the government of South Africa’s decision to auction off its unused Broadcast White Space (BWS) over the past decade or so. This was intended to encourage innovation and competition in the telecommunications sector. This auctioning of BWS was considered to be a significant step towards modernizing the country's telecommunications infrastructure and promoting digital inclusion.
More circumstantial is the COVID-19 pandemic which had a very direct effect on both the supply and demand for digitised services, although this would have been a global phenomenon (similarly benefitting other countries).
But, together with our DPSA and CPSI partners, we would like to believe that the SA:EU Dialogues journey in 2022 – which included South Africa’s first official, multi-stakeholder delegation to an ICEGOV conference, and which was initially motivated around the opportunity to learn from Denmark which has been a global leader in the e-Government survey rankings – also had something to do with this! The dialogue process resulted in some much-needed [intra-national] coordination, as well as the collective identification of three key priority areas for digital transformation and governance: Digital Identity, Digital-ready Legislation, Ethics, inclusivity, and trust. We believe that this connecting and building of collective intelligence with key stakeholders may have played a role in some of the rapid progress that we have begun to make.
UNU-EGOV: What challenges do you anticipate in maintaining or improving the level of digital governance development in your country over the next two years?
GKS: I feel that, on the one hand, we are in an excellent position to get moving fast in a number of important areas of digital governance. We have a relatively new Government of National Unity with an appetite for change and progress. Economic times, while tight, also demand efficiencies that digital technology can deliver. However, the challenges of social justice, equity, and inclusion will continue to be a major imperative, requiring political will and innovative approaches to address. Trust, alignment and collaboration between public and private actors will also require attention if progress is to be made.
UNU-EGOV: What role can the University of Witwatersrand play in digital governance development?
GKS: The continent needs to focus on developing its own narrative, voice and capabilities for digital transformation and governance. As an esteemed public university and Africa’s leading school of governance, we believe that Wits can contribute to the achievement of digital for the public good by conducting academically rigorous, cutting-edge and contextualised research, and providing relevant, research-informed education. We also play an important role in informing debates on society's digital transformation through strategic convenings and communications. This requires activating, connecting and strengthening Africa’s regional and diasporic knowledge-based networks and digital ecosystems. As a competent and collaborative actor, Wits is well positioned to play these roles, and to intermediate between some of the interests and where there are trust deficits.
Note | The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the UNU.
