Dessertation Final

REGENT BUSINESS SCHOOL
EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF E-GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTATION.
A CASE STUDY OF SOCIAL CLUSTER DEPARTMENTS IN KWAZULU-NATAL
PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA
LEON ABEDNICO MBANGWA
2015

ii
Exploring the Effectiveness of e-Government Implementation: The case of Social
Cluster Departments in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
By
Leon Abednico Mbangwa
Dissertation submitted to Regent Business School, South Africa in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business
Administration
Supervisor: Nellie Naranjee
2015

iii
ABSTRACT
Electronic government (e-government) is an important vehicle in the public service
system of modern and developed countries. Developing countries have since been joining
in the implementation of e-government as a measure to promote efficiency and reduce
costs in governance. In South Africa, for instance, e-government is being implemented
with the aim of promoting transparency, accountability, good governance, information
security, and freedom in the acquisition and use of information technology. However,
these efforts towards promoting e-government, especially in developing countries like
South Africa, are met by numerous challenges.
This study assessed the effectiveness of e-government implementation in the social
cluster departments of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. Quantitative methods
were used to collect and analyse data on the effectiveness of the implementation of e-
government in the social cluster departments. 150 questionnaires were administered to
management and ICT staff of the ten departments in the social cluster.
Results from the study revealed that there has been a significant progress in the
implementation of e-government in social cluster with some advantages of e-government
being noted. Furthermore, the study revealed some of the challenges faced by
departments in the social cluster in their quest to successfully implement e-government.
Based on these empirical results, it was recommended, among other things, that for e-
government implementation to be successful, there is need for massive awareness and
motivation campaigns, education of government employees, promotion of accessibility
and the transformation of the mind-set of employees regarding new technology and e-
government. There is also an urgent need for parliament and provincial legislatures to
begin prioritising law making and oversight in areas pertaining to e-government
implementation.

iv
DECLARATION
I, Leon Abednico Mbangwa, hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own
investigation and research and that it has not been submitted in part or full for any other
degree or to any other University.

v
DEDICATION
To my beloved mother Alima Agatha, my sons and daughters Qhoshakufanele and
Sithulisiwe for their patience and perseverance when I could not be with them for
any good reason. This is for you. You were truly my intrinsic driving force.

vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and more importantly, I am grateful to my creator, the Almighty God, for giving me
the blessings, health and wisdom to live up to this date in order to persevere and finish
this MBA.
I would like to thank my supervisor, Nellie Naranjee, for her guidance support and
encouragement throughout the process of formulating ideas. This has been a journey and
throughout my tribulations, she was not only a supervisor but mentor and making this an
inspirational journey
Secondly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following individuals who
played significant roles without whom this research would not have been successful: Mr
Christopher Ifeacho, for his everlasting guidance throughout the study; Ms Tinalee Singh,
of the KwaZulu-Natal office of the Premier, for bestowing me an opportunity to interact
with all Social Cluster Departmental Heads of Information Technology Divisions. This
goes to all participants who took time to complete survey questionnaires.
I thank my colleague and personal assistant, Nomhle Mayeza, for all the assistance and
support. I am indebted to my employer for unconditional financial support and
encouragement. Lastly, I thank all who believed in me and helped me in whichever way.

vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page No.
TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………………………………………...i
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................ iii
DECLARATION......................................................................................................................................... iv
DEDICATION.............................................................................................................................................. v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................................ vi
LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................................................... xi
LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................................... xii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................................xiii
CHAPTER ONE..........................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Background to the Study ................................................................................................................1
1.3 Problem Statement..........................................................................................................................3
1.4 Aim of the Study...............................................................................................................................5
1.5 Objectives of the Study...................................................................................................................5
1.6 Research Questions........................................................................................................................6
1.7 Significance of the Study................................................................................................................6
1.8 Organisation of the Study...............................................................................................................7
1.9 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER TWO.........................................................................................................................................8
LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................................................................8
2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................8
2.2 The Concept and Practice of e-Governance...............................................................................8
2.3 Advantages of e-Government......................................................................................................14
2.3.1 Minimising Costs ........................................................................................................................14
2.3.2 Improved Learning and Research Activities ..........................................................................15
2.3.3 Improved Communication, Participation and Collaboration.................................................15
2.3.4 Improved Financial System and Taxation ..............................................................................16
2.3.5 Democratic and Responsive Participation..............................................................................17
2.4. Factors Critical to the Success of e-Government Projects ....................................................17

viii
2.4.1 Overall Vision and Strategy ......................................................................................................18
2.4.2 Dominance of Politics and Self-interest..................................................................................19
2.4.3 Strong Change Management ...................................................................................................19
2.4.4 Effective Project Management .................................................................................................20
2.4.5 Competencies among Government Officials and Lack of Skills .........................................20
2.4.6 Adequate Technological Infrastructure ...................................................................................21
2.4.7 Gaps between the Public and Private sector.........................................................................21
2.4.8 Digital Divide ...............................................................................................................................22
2.4.9 Financial Support .......................................................................................................................23
2.4.10 e-Government Awareness and/or Resistance to Change .................................................23
2.4.11 Trust in the Electronic Systems .............................................................................................24
2.4.12 Privacy and Security Issues ...................................................................................................25
2.5. An Assessment of e-Government and its Implementation in KwaZulu-Natal Province.....25
2.6 Conclusion......................................................................................................................................30
CHAPTER THREE...................................................................................................................................32
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................32
3.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................32
3.2 Research Philosophy....................................................................................................................32
3.3 Research Strategies......................................................................................................................34
3.4 Target Population ..........................................................................................................................35
3.5 Sampling .........................................................................................................................................36
3.5.1 Criteria for Selecting Respondents..........................................................................................36
3.5.2. Sample Size...............................................................................................................................37
3.6. The Research Instrument............................................................................................................37
3.6.1 The Advantages and Disadvantages of Questionnaires................................................37
3.6.2 Questionnaire Construction ................................................................................................38
3.6.3 Administration of Questionnaires.............................................................................................38
3.6.4 Pilot Study ...................................................................................................................................39
3.7 Data Analysis and Interpretation.................................................................................................40
3.8 Reliability and Validity...................................................................................................................41
3.8.1 Reliability.......................................................................................................................................41
3.8.2 Validity..........................................................................................................................................41
3.9 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................................42

ix
3.10 Ethical Considerations................................................................................................................43
3.11 Conclusion....................................................................................................................................43
CHAPTER FOUR.....................................................................................................................................44
RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS...............................................44
4.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................44
4.2 Presentation of Findings...............................................................................................................44
4.2.1. Name of the Social Cluster Department................................................................................44
4.2.2 Position of the Respondent in the Department......................................................................46
4.2.3 Years of Service in the Department ........................................................................................46
4.2.4 Year when e-Government was First Implemented................................................................48
4.2.5 Employees Aware of the e-Government Initiative.................................................................49
4.2.6 Advantages Associated with Implementing e-Government.................................................50
4.2.6.1 Increases efficiency of government services......................................................................51
4.2.6.2 Provision of High Quality Services to Stakeholders ..........................................................52
4.2.6.3 Improves Transparency, Accountability and Reduces Corruption ..................................53
4.2.6.4 Reduced Operating Costs .....................................................................................................54
4.2.6.5 Reduces Government Bureaucracy.....................................................................................55
4.2.7 Factors Critical to the Success and/or Failure of e-Government Projects ........................56
4.2.7.1 Does your Department have a Clear Vision for the Implementation of e-Government?
................................................................................................................................................................56
4.2.7.2 Have You Received Training on e-Government?..............................................................58
4.2.7.3 Does your Department have Adequate ICT Infrastructure?.............................................59
4.2.7.4 Do Citizens Easily Access Services? ..................................................................................60
4.2.7.5 Does Your Department Receive Adequate Budget Allocation? ......................................61
4.2.7.6 Does Your Department Hold Awareness Campaigns?.....................................................62
4.3 Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion........................................................................62
4.4 Conclusion......................................................................................................................................65
CHAPTER 5..............................................................................................................................................66
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................66
5.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................66
5.2 Findings from Literature Review..................................................................................................66
5.3 Findings from Primary Research.................................................................................................67
5.3.1 The Advantages and Awareness of e-Government among Employees............................67

x
5.3.2 Factors Critical to Successful (or Failed) implementation of e-Government.....................68
5.3.3 Recommendations for a Successful Implementation of e-Government ............................69
5.3.3.1 Transformation of traditional mind-set and re-engineering government processes.....69
5.3.3.2 Massive e-Government teaching programs........................................................................70
5.3.3.3 Promote accessibility of internet services ...........................................................................70
5.3.3.4 Massive awareness and motivation campaigns.................................................................70
5.4 Areas for Further Research..........................................................................................................71
5.5 Conclusion......................................................................................................................................71
BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................................................72
Appendix A................................................................................................................................................76
Research Instrument ...............................................................................................................................76
Appendix B................................................................................................................................................87
Consent and Approval of Research ......................................................................................................87

xi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Name of the department............................................................................... 31
Table 4.2: Position of the respondents in the department ............................................. 40
Table 4.3 Number of years working in the department.................................................. 41
Table 4.4: Year of e-government implementation ......................................................... 42
Table 4.5: Employees aware of e-government implementation..................................... 43
Table 4.6: Results on measures of central tendency and dispersion ............................ 44

xii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 4.1: e-Government increases efficiency and effectiveness ...................................... 45
Figure 4.2: e-Government leads to high quality services to stakeholders ........................... 46
Figure 4.3: e-Government improves transparency, accountability and reduces corruption . 47
Figure 4.4: e-Government reduces operating costs............................................................ 48
Figure 4.5: e-Government reduces government bureaucracy............................................. 49
Figure 4.6: Department have a clear vision for the implementation of e-government ......... 50
Figure 4.7: Responses to whether respondents received training on e-government........... 51
Figure 4.8: Responses on whether departments have adequate ICT infrastructure ........... 52
Figure 4.9: Responses on whether citizens have access to ICT infrastructure ................... 53
Figure 4.10: Responses on whether enough funds are allocated towards e-government... 54
Figure 4.11: Responses on whether departments hold awareness campaigns .................. 55

xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
G2BC Government to Business and Citizen
G2C Government-to-Citizen
G2G Government-to-Government
GITO Government Information Technology Officers
ICT Information and Communication Technology
ICT4D Information and Communication Technologies for Development
ISPs Internet Service Providers
IT Information Technology
KZN KwaZulu-Natal
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
SITA State Information Technology Agency
SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Science

1
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
This chapter offers a general introductory background to this study. The chapter provides
relevant details on the study background including the study context and other important
background information that make possible a better understanding of the research
generally. The research problems, questions and objectives are highlighted as well as the
way in which the entire study is organised. Although “e-government” is variously defined,
the term has essentially emerged as a generic term for government services that are web-
based. It is the use of information and communication technology, especially the internet
and web-based technologies, by governments at different levels, to enhance their
operations, deliver government services, engage and interact with citizens (Palvia and
Sharma, 2007).
1.2 Background to the Study
Writing in the context of India, Misra (2006:1) argues that e-government, though operating
for over a decade, has not contributed to an improved public service delivery and
administrative reforms, which is central to e-government. It is thus contended that e-
government models have emerged mainly from a western context, which is
characteristically different from other contexts. Hence, Thakur and Singh (2013:43) argue
that a more context-centric e-Government model is a major need. According to Thakur
and Singh (2013:43), e-Government applications also face the challenge of adoption
which involves getting such new systems implemented and utilised by the target audience
(Thakur and Singh, 2013:43). Regrettably, the South African government, as argued by
Thakur and Singh (2013:34), is by and large concerned with improving efficiency through
the dissemination of information as opposed to adopting an e-Government system that is
more comprehensive. It is claimed that significant gaps exist in policy, understanding
social process, understandings of ICT, understanding ‘independent human agency’ and

2
bureaucratic incompetence; and these negatively affect the successful implementation of
e-government (Thakur and Singh, 2013:43).
In South Africa, the Public Service Act 103 of 1994 and its subsequent amendments
provide for, among other things, the establishment of norms and standards relating to e-
Government and the management of information in the public service. E-Government is
addressed in several White Papers with the aim of promoting good governance,
transparency, information security, accountability and freedom to acquire and use
Information Technology (IT) in South Africa (Public Service Act 103 of 1994). Statutory
bodies were established by the South African government such as the State Information
Technology Agency (SITA) and Government Information Technology Officers Council
(GITO Council), to co-ordinate the implementation of e-Government projects (Thakur and
Singh, 2013:43). The focus of the South African e-Government is on government-to-
government (G2G), Government to Business and Citizen (G2BC), and government-to-
citizen (G2C) activities (Department of Communication, 2014). Various e-Government
services, such as e-Health, e-Filing, e-Commerce and e-Education have been
implemented in South Africa. Such e-Government initiatives implementation in
developing countries, like South Africa, would benefit from a closer scrutiny. In addition
to helping to identify challenges, this will lead to recommendations that could enable
successful implementation in government departments.
In the context of this study, the focus was on the Social Cluster Departments of the
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial government. The cluster comprises the following
government departments: Department of Health; Department of Social Development;
Department of Agriculture; Department of Transport; Department of Education;
Department of Housing; Department of Labour; Department of Sports and Recreation;
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism; Department of Public Works; and the
Department of Public Services and Administration. This cluster takes care of social
development and macro-social issues, including social cohesion. Departments in this
cluster have central programmes on the social sector and focus on poverty alleviation
which is in line with the goals of e-Government. Since e-Government is a concept that
originated in developed countries, the effectiveness of its implementation in less

3
developed countries should be examined. This study sought to explore the effectiveness
of e-Government in South African government departments using the Social Cluster
Departments of the KZN provincial government as a case study.
1.3 Problem Statement
Scholars researching on the implementation of eGovernment have observed that the
advancement of eGovernment “does not sprout from the opium of technological
utopianism” (Bwalya et al., 2012:82). Thus, it is argued, in this regard, that the
implementation of eGovernment is negatively impacted upon by “inherent challenges”
such as the “lack of ICT skills in the public sector” (Bwalya et al. 2012:28; Ndou, 2004:14).
It is notable, however, that although the lack of ICT skills is a world-wide problem, it is “a
particular problem in developing countries since its extent as exemplified by “the chronic
lack of qualified staff and inadequate human resources training has been a problem for
years” (UNPA & ASPA, 2001 in Ndou, 2004:14).
Arguably, although ICT is generally regarded as an ‘enabler’, it should also be regarded
as a challenge and peril which should be accorded the attention it deserves (Ndou,
2004:1). Furthermore, the challenges pertaining to the adaptive nature eGovernment are
not limited to technology and as such “they call for organisational structures and skills,
new forms of leadership, transformation of public-private partnerships (Allen et al., 2001
in Ndou, 2004:2).
It bears repeating, therefore, that the main challenge associated with the initiative of an
eGovernment is the lack of ICT skills in the public sector (Ndou, 2004:14). This, as argued
by UNPA and ASPA (2001) quoted in Ndou (2004:14), is a particular problem in
developing countries where the “chronic lack of qualified staff and inadequate human
resources training has been a problem for years”. It is worth noting, therefore, that the
availability of requisite skills is critical towards a successful eGovernment implementation
(Ndou, 2014:14).

4
As argued by Bwalya et al. (2012:16), eGovernment has the potential of “excluding
citizens and businesses that have no access to technology due to the digital divide or
generally due to the anticipated low levels of trust by citizens of the e-government
platforms”. The problem is compounded by the fact that “a majority of the would-be e-
government consumers do not even understand the importance of e-government” and
thus “have challenges in finding relevant ICT infrastructure to access e-government
applications” (Bwalya et al., 2012:28).
It is also notable that employees are usually inclined to resist change for fear that ICT
would replace them and so cause job losses (Ndou, 2014:14). Thus, “the ability of
developing countries to reap the full benefits of eGovernment is limited” as it “is hampered
by the existence of many political, social and economic hindrances (Ndou, 2014:16). It is
against this background, therefore, that although eGovernment is generally a tool that
can contribute to solving administrative problems, it may not be assumed that the concept
is automatically effective in developing countries because it originated in developed
countries. Thus, it bears repeating that although “ICT, in general, is referred to as an
‘enabler’, it should also be regarded as a challenge and peril” (Ndou, 2004:1).
The adaptive challenges of eGovernment go far beyond technology and they call for
organisational structures and skills, new forms of leadership, transformation of public-
private partnerships (Allen et al., 2001 in Ndou, 2004:2). Therefore, the implementation
of e-Government in a developing country like South Africa will need a closer examination
in order to identify challenges to its successful and effective implementation and to make
recommendations for successful e-Government implementation in South African
government departments.
Several external impediments to the successful implementation of e-Government exist.
Common among these are legal and regulatory barriers, finances, technology barriers
and the digital divide. Employee resistance to change is still the biggest barrier to
successful change (Ndou, 2004:14). Employees fear changes in general and ICT

5
applications in particular as they believe that ICT would replace them and so cause job
losses (Ndou, 2004:14).
The ability of developing countries to reap the full benefits of eGovernment is limited and
is hampered by the existence of many political, social and economic hindrances (Ndou,
2004:16). Bwalya et al. (2012:16) – there is a myriad of disadvantages – the likelihood
of excluding citizens and businesses that have no access to technology due to the digital
divide or generally due to the anticipated low levels of trust by citizens of the eGovernment
platforms. A majority of the would-be eGovernment consumers do not even understand
the importance of eGoverment and have challenges in finding relevant ICT infrastructure
to access eGovernment applications and generally the public service employees are not
mandated by their institutions to manage information using ICTs (Bwalya et al., 2012:28).
Thus, a closer examination of the readiness of the South African government to
implement e-Government is crucial. This involves an examination of the country’s
legislation, the costs of implementation, access to technology and the preparedness of
citizens to use e-Government. Therefore, the effectiveness of e-Government services in
South Africa should be explored and examined.
1.4 Aim of the Study
The aim of this study was to explore and assess the effectiveness of e-Government
implementation with special focus on the Social Cluster Departments of KwaZulu-Natal
(KZN) province of South Africa.
1.5 Objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of the study were:
(a) To investigate the current level of e-Government awareness among
government employees;

6
(b) To determine the factors critical to the successful implementation of e-
Government projects in the social cluster departments in KwaZulu-Natal
province;
(c) To make recommendations on the critical factors that should be
considered for e-Government project implementation in South Africa.
1.6 Research Questions
In an effort to explore the effectiveness of the implementation of e-Government initiatives
in the Social Cluster Departments of the KZN provincial government, this research will
attempt to find answers to the following questions:
(a) What is the current level of e-Government awareness among government
employees?
(b) What are the factors that are critical to the successful implementation of e-
Government in the social cluster departments in KwaZulu-Natal province?
(c) What recommendations can be made on the critical factors that should be
considered for e-Government project implementation in South Africa?
1.7 Significance of the Study
The eradication of poverty and improvement of social welfare have been made a priority
by the South African government. Through government departments in the social cluster,
the government has been working to alleviate poverty and uplift the welfare of the majority
of South Africans. The effective utilisation of e-Government can facilitate an efficient, cost
effective and timeous service delivery. Other gains of the effective implementation of e-
Government include: improved communication and speed, reduction in costs associated
to paper-based communication, improved transparency and easy accountability. This
study will be informative on the readiness of South Africa and its citizens to embrace e-
Government. The study also suggests what needs to be done by the government and its
departments to effectively implement e-Government. Thus, this study will be beneficial
for both the South African government and its citizens.

7
The results from this study will inform government departments on the factors impeding
the effective implementation of e-Government. Recommendations suggested in the study
will enlighten government departments on how to mitigate and deal with factors that are
negatively affecting e-Government in the country. The recommendations will also inform
government departments on how to make use of the strengths the country has in the
implementation of e-Government. Due to limited literature on e-Government activities in
developing nations, this study will also benefit other developing countries that are still to
implement the e-Government concept. Furthermore, the study will contribute to the
debate on whether African nations are ready to embrace e-Government or not.
1.8 Organisation of the Study
The research was organized into five chapters. Chapter one offers the general
introduction and overview of the study, providing in-depth background on e-government.
It also states the research problem, objectives and significance of the study. The second
chapter include a review of numerous literatures, which explored scholarly writings on e-
government and its implementation benefits, costs and hindrances. In chapter three, the
research methodology and design are discussed in details, while in chapter four, the data
collected for the study is thoroughly analysed and results presented, discussed and
interpreted. Chapter five draws conclusions on the study and makes recommendations
based on the analysis of data and research findings.
1.9 Conclusion
This chapter focused on introducing the study and covered the background to the study,
the problem statement, the aim of the study, objectives of the study, research questions,
and significance of the study as well as the format of the study. The next chapter will
cover the literature review.

8
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
Previous research and literature pertinent to the effectiveness of e-Government
implementation with specific reference to the Social Cluster Department in the KwaZulu-
Natal Province in South Africa are examined in this chapter. The chapter offers a general
overview of literature on e-Government as a concept and practice. It then moves on to
highlight the findings of previous studies regarding advantages of e-Governance
especially for less developed countries as well as the challenges and obstacles that mar
successful implementation and utilisation of e-Government as identified by existing
literature.
2.2 The Concept and Practice of e-Governance
Scholars such as Thakur and Singh have observed that, in their state of the nation
addresses, successive South African presidents have frequently made yearly public
government commitment to provide required services for e-Government. Such regimes,
as asserted by Thakur and Singh (2013:44), have failed to fulfil their promises in the
manner it would have been envisaged. The notable exceptions in this regard include
projects by the National Department of Home Affairs which, among other things, is
responsible for the processes involved in identification notification; and the e-filling service
of the South African Revenue (SARS) which is considered more substantive and
successful (Thakur and Singh, 2013:44). Such public government commitment is
consonant with the prevailing global trends. This view is corroborated by Al-Kouri’s
(2013:1) assertion that “governments the world over are competing with each other to be
at a leading position in the arena of e-government” since “e-government is seen not only
as the path to modernisation but also as rendering more efficient and effective public
sector services” (Al-Kouri, 2013:1). Al-Kouri (2013:1) further contends that “recent
practices in the field have focused on bringing the government closer to the people”. Thus,
in order not to lag behind in this regard, “governments worldwide adopted various

9
government-to-citizen (G2C) e-government models in an attempt to improve and provide
round the clock availability of all government public services” (Al-Kouri, 2013:1).
E-terms such as development, services, access and relationship are associated with e-
government (Al-Kouri, 2013:1). In the light of this, the use of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the developing world is considered crucial for
transforming, reforming and offering strategic advantages that would allow second world
economies to be on a par with their first world counterparts. For this to happen,
government has a critical role to play in the provision of support, an enabling environment,
and in creating an information society that is socially inclusive (Farelo and Morris, 2006:1).
It is against this background, therefore, that the plan of action of the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) anticipates “the formation of a people-centred, inclusive and
development-oriented Information Society where everyone can access, utilise and share
information and knowledge” (Farelo and Morris, 2006:1). To this end, and being a
signatory, South Africa has taken important steps to enable it meet WSIS Declaration of
Principles and Plan of Action commitments (Farelo and Morris, 2006:1).
E-government is essentially about utilising technology for transformation towards more
citizen-centred government. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that e-government
successes dictate that there be a change not only on how government executes its
functions, but also in the way it handles information and the way officials see their jobs
and relate to the public (Farelo and Morris, 2006:2). As argued by Farelo and Morris
(2006: 2), e-government, understood both as a concept and practice, serve as a means
for both governments and the public to take part in the new knowledge landscape to
improve service delivery. In its applicability, e-government is “the use of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) to transform government by making it more accessible,
effective and accountable” (Farelo and Morris, 2006: 2). In South Africa, ICT forms the
core of Batho Pele (people first) which is a government framework for ensuring that
effective public service delivery is equally accessed (Matavire, Chigona, Roode,
Sewchurran, Davids, Mukuku and Boama-Abu, 2010: 153). Thus, ICT initiatives, in the
South African context, are deemed to be key to alleviating not only poverty but also the
effects of socially engineered exclusion (Moodley 2005: 3). Hence, since the dawn of the

10
post-apartheid South Africa, the focus of the government has been on the idea of an
information society whose objective was to explore ways in which it may serve as a
modernising catalyst in the transformation of the society and economy by utilising ICT
(Misra, 2006:153).
As argued by Beniger (1988: 17), the term ‘information society’ is not only associated with
the development of a more inclusive, open and sustainable information-based society, it
is also used to denote a society where the creation, diffusion, integration and manipulation
of information constitute a significant activity economically, politically and culturally.
Arguably, information society in this respect seeks to develop a competitive advantage
by utilising Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in a way that is not only
creative but also productive (Mattelart, ,2003:40). The knowledge economy poses as the
economic counterpart of information society in which wealth is generated by exploiting an
understanding of the different influential factors and people’s roles in specific social
domains. Those who possess the means to take part in this kind of society are sometimes
referred to as “digital citizens” (Al-Kouri, 2013:4).
In 2000, Sweden, in an attempt to reach out to all her people, adopted the Swedish
“Information of All” Policy next to which small policy ministries coupled with many
agencies were responsible for the implementation of Government policies (Al-Kouri,
2013:5). It can be inferred, thus, that the increasing global adoption of e-government by
countries is, to all intents and purposes, an attestation to its effectiveness as an
instrument for public service delivery. Hence, in South Africa, e-government is embraced
as one of the foundations of the strategies of government aimed at more accessible
services for citizens (Matavire et al., 2010:153). This has resulted in the implementation
of various e-government initiatives at the national, provincial and local government levels.
It is against this backdrop that the e-government initiative of the Western Cape Province
is, to date, conceived as one of the flagships. The Western Cape Province has various
government sanctioned projects at different degrees of completion under its tutelage
(Matavire, 2010:153).
E-Government has become a global phenomenon because it is able to offer to citizens
an increased portfolio of public services in a way that is both efficient and cost effective.

11
In the public service systems of many developed and modern states, e-government has
become an important vehicle (Nugroho, 2014:1). Developing countries have followed suit,
initiating e-Government projects and strategies under the designation: “Information and
Communication Technologies for Development” (ICT4D) (Schuppan, 2009:118).
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and e-Government are emphasised
as crucial for the enhancement of economic and social development, as well as the
reduction of poverty (Schuppan, 2009:119; Nugroho, 2014:2). Many governments,
citizens and businesses in modern developed countries have benefitted in various ways
from the notion of e-Government.
E-Government, which is generally understood to include the relevant structures and
processes that enable electronic delivery of services by government to its public, plays a
central role in improving social welfare and service delivery (Okot-Uma, 2001, cited in
Chowdhury, Habib and Kushchu, 2006:2). As noted by Nugroho (2014:3), in addition to
the improvement of service delivery, increase in democratisation and reduction of
corruption, the use of new technologies in government has increased national
competitiveness. Thus, e-Government is perceived as a way to strengthen public
administration and government’s performance. This is evident in developed nations which
have effectively and successfully implemented and utilised e-Government (Nugroho,
2014:2). To the contrary, developing countries still have to deal with huge challenges that
require a process of understanding in order to successfully implement e-Government.
This is more so for sub-Saharan African countries whose public administration is marred
by inefficiency, untrained/poorly-trained personnel and limited capacity (Schuppan,
2009:118). Several e-government challenges are surfacing today which is indicative of
the fact that e-government may experience sober future rather than a hype. It is in light
of this that Misra (2006:7) argues that e-government hype is not e-government reality. By
inference, what is evident from e-government practices is that public service delivery
remains unsatisfactory, and the almost revolutionary and huge potential of e-government
remains unrealised (Misra, 2006:7). To rectify the situation, it is necessary to offer a fresh
definition of e-government and to put forward a definition that is citizen-centric and
criteria-based; and to position this as a guide to policy makers and implementers of e-
Government. Such a definition should be made operational at the central, state and

12
district levels through e-business plans that have been carefully prepared. This would
allow the basic objective of e-government to materialise despite “the quagmire of
implementation where rubber meets the road” (Misra, 2006:7).
Matavire et al. (2010:154) argue that “perspectives on the core requirements for
successful implementation of e-Government differ throughout literature”. That
notwithstanding, the following prerequisites extracted from Hafkin (2009:7) constitute the
essentials required in any given context, without necessarily differentiating between
developed and developing countries, for e-Government to be implemented with relative
ease and with a reasonable degree of success. These prerequisites include:
(a) A minimum threshold level of technological infrastructure;
(b) Near-universal Internet access;
(c) Human capital (of both designers and users);
(d) Legal frameworks/ enabling environment;
(e) Political will and
(f) Integration and redesign of government organisation and processes;
(g) Consideration of people’s issues: public service culture, technophobia
and reaching minorities (Hafkin, 2009:7).
The constitutive prerequisites enumerated above are indiscriminately applicable to both
developed and developing countries. It thus makes sense, therefore, that given how
rapidly information technology is growing in Africa as a whole and e-Government in
particular, there is need for a more up-to-date assessments. This study did not only gauge
the progress made by the Social Cluster Department in the KwaZulu-Natal Province but
also ascertained the challenges that are endemic in the implementation of e-Government
in general.
According to Matavire et al (2010:154), it is common for e-Government implementations
in developing countries to be generally more problematic compared to developed nations.
This fact notwithstanding, e-Government is conceived of as offering opportunities for
governments despite their (developing countries) limited ability to garner the full benefits

13
of e-Government. Moreover, e-Government is large largely hindered by political, social
and economic obstacles (Matavire et al., 2010: 154).
It is contended that in terms of implementation, South African ICT government programs
are adopted and implemented using the top-down approach which characteristically tends
not to focus on the needs of the citizens. In terms of its pragmatic function, therefore, ICT
is a tool which has the potential of achieving a particular desired objective within set
parameters. As a consequence thereof, the misunderstanding between those designated
to play a proactive role in the implementation of projects affects e-Government
applications and may thus further create misunderstanding gaps (Thakur and Singh,
2013:43). Thus, drawing insights from Ndou (2004), Matavire et al (2010:154) argue that
e-Government symbolises a paradigm shift from traditional models of government to a
more service-based models in which citizens are perceived as customers.,
So, contrary to the traditional models of public service delivery, e-government is “the
delivery of more convenient customer-oriented and cost effective public services and
sharing of information through electronic media” (Information Technology Authority, 2015:
121). As indicated earlier on, e-government refers to the practice of taking advantage of
ICT so as to deliver required services to employees (G2E), citizens (G2C), business
(G2B) and other government departments (G2G) (Thakur and Singh, 2013:41).
Nowadays e-Government is recognised as capable of promoting economic and social
development, as well as a tool for poverty reduction in the public service systems of both
developing and developed countries (Schuppan, 2009: 118; Nugroho, 2014:1).
Therefore, e-government has several advantages and benefits including, among other
things, improved service delivery, reduction of corruption, increased democratisation and
also increased national competitiveness (Nugroho, 2014: 1). It is thus notable that certain
factors are significant to the success of e-Government implementation.
Critical factors in the implementation of e-Government include the overall vision and
strategy, strong change management, dominance of politics/self-interest, competencies
among officials, effective project management, adequate technological infrastructure, e-
Government awareness between citizen and government, gaps between the public and

14
private sector, funding, trust in the electronic systems as well as privacy and security
issues. It is worth noting, therefore, that more emphasis in the literature on e-government
focuses on the advantages or benefits of the implementation of e-Government in
developing countries and on the important success and/or failure factors of e-Government
projects in such countries (Nugroho, 2014: 1).
2.3 Advantages of e-Government
This section discusses the advantages of e-Government. According to Alshehri and Drew
(2010: 81), there are similarities between the advantages and benefits of e-government
for both the developed and the developing nations.
2.3.1 Minimising Costs
E-Government offers governments and citizens the opportunity to lessen the cost of
information and to maximise the quickness of the interaction between government and
citizen (Mahmood, 2013: 83). Web-based technologies are used by almost all
governments globally to provide services to their citizens and this enhances e-
participation in democratic processes and institutions. Governments of developing
countries now utilise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in their service
delivery to citizens and successful implementation of e-government services in such
developing countries is on high demand (Mahmood, 2013: 83). Through the use of online
resources, government services are more simplified, proficient and less reliant on direct
human interaction; and the consequent reduction in the cost of processing transactions
results in greater savings (Information Technology Authority, 2015: 121). Thus, “e-
Government also saves customers money as they get afforded faster, easier and more
convenient service, better quality and reduced turnaround times and in some cases a
reduction in the direct cost for the service” (Commonwealth of Australia, 2003: 9). For e-
Government to be successful, it is important that citizens are able to use ICT in order to
ensure a nation-wide e-participation in addition to improving contents and channels of
public service deliveries by government.

15
2.3.2 Improved Learning and Research Activities
Another aspect of e-Government, the World Wide Web, also known as the web, has
influenced every sector in society including the government (Mahmood, 2013: 99).
Government can significantly enhance research and learning in public institutions of
higher education such as universities. Here, the role of the Internet in education is
recognised and several governments have already incorporated internet technologies
their tertiary education (Mahmood, 2013: 99). The web is capable of helping both faculty
and students in such institutions. It could contribute to the lessening of financial
constraints which constitute a common challenge in public universities, especially in the
developing nations. With e-Government applications, citizens, businesses and
government can access government information at all times, which improves the quality
of these services (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 81).
2.3.3 Improved Communication, Participation and Collaboration
Key policies and governance frameworks have been developed recently which defined
the role of leadership amongst its many agencies. Although South Africa has taken the
first tentative steps and made efforts towards the creation of on-line access, the breadth
and depth of its services is still in need of significant development (Farelo and Morris,
2006:12). Additionally, South Africa has a consultative process in its development of e-
Government, however, obtaining buy-in, especially within the ranks of government
departments, is still a setback. It is thus suggested that the subsequent e-Government
phase should concentrate on implementation that is guided by the citizen-centred
principles of Batho Pele in terms of online service delivery and customer service (Farelo
and Morris: 2006:12). For e-government to thrive as envisaged, the government has to
create an enabling environment which is permeated with a strong political will that will
drive the vision coupled with the readiness assessment discussing governance models,

16
legal frameworks, infrastructure as well as human resource development as key factors
if success is to be achieved (Farelo and Morris, 2006:1).
Information technology and social media have the ability to enhance communication,
involvement of all relevant stakeholders and partnership among governments and citizens
(Milakovich, 2010: 2). The widespread use of social networks such as Facebook,
YouTube, Twitter and blogs by citizens has led to the adoption of such technologies by
government administrators in order to reach out to their citizens, interact, and legitimise
public decisions and policies (Khan, Yoon Kim and Park, 2013: 9). In addition to
conventional methods of communication such as the Internet, landline telephones, booths
(kiosks) and call centers, mobile communication networks over the previous few years
have grown as channels for extra flow of information and services to citizens which has
also increased business. Such mobile communication technology utilised by
governments for service delivery to citizens and firms has been referred to as mobile
government (m-government) (Mahmood, 2013: 128). The goal of m-government services
is to maximise performance, expectancy of effort, social influence, to facilitate favourable
conditions and build trust (Khan et al., 2013: 10).
2.3.4 Improved Financial System and Taxation
Governments of developing nations such as those in sub-Saharan Africa have less
efficient tax and finance management systems (Schuppan, 2009: 121). The adoption of
ICT comes with prospects of developing the financial and taxation systems of such
countries. In this way “ICT introduces integrated financial systems with appropriate
databases that offer the possibility to better control financial flows within the state”
(Schuppan, 2009: 121). This minimises the possibilities for corruption and manipulation
in terms of the spending behaviour of decentralised units which may now be better
managed.

17
2.3.5 Democratic and Responsive Participation
Aside improved service delivery, ICT brings opportunities or possibilities for a more
democratised and responsive public administration through the new forms of participation
it offers (such as the internet) and thereby enhances legitimisation (Schuppan, 2009:
122). Legislative drafts, for instance, could be uploaded or posted online to offer citizens
an opportunity to access and discuss them. Such processes of participation are critical
“to improve outward responsiveness and transparency” (Schuppan, 2009: 122). E-
Government, therefore, is capable of simplifying decision-making processes and make
them easy to follow and understand, especially given the low level of trust on public
institutions particularly in developing countries (Schuppan, 2009: 122).
2.4. Factors Critical to the Success of e-Government Projects
The numerous critical e-Government factors and challenges (most visibly, technology
related challenges) determine the success of e-Government initiatives. These challenges
render the application of e-Government systems difficult especially in developing
countries. Thus, it becomes incumbent upon those who oversee such systems to attend
to such challenges in preparation for e-Government initiatives. Pragmatically speaking,
e-Government has to do with the transformation of government to be more citizen-
centred, this requires active partnerships and involvement between government, the
private sector and citizens (Thakur and Singh, 2013:42). With ministries/departments at
the centre of states and in the districts, emerging e-government challenges highlight in
no uncertain terms the need for a citizen-centric criteria-based approach e-government
made operational by elaborate e-business plans (Misra, 2006:1).
It needs emphasising that the centre stage of e-government is fraught with administrative
reforms epitomised by citizen-centric, interactive and responsive administrative activities
(Misra, 2006:2). The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was required “to suggest
measures to achieve a proactive, responsive, accountable, sustainable and efficient
administration for the country at all levels of the government” (Misra, 2006:2). The
commission had to, inter alia, consider citizen-centric administration and thereby promote

18
e-governance (Misra, 2006:2). Achieving e-government success also requires
government, the private sector and citizens to enter into active and mutually beneficial
partnerships. The e-government process needs continuous input and feedback from the
“customers” constituted by the public, businesses and officials who use e-government
services. This is so since their ideas and voices are necessary for e-government to work.
Arguably, e-government is a participatory process when implemented well (Farelo and
Morris, 2006:2). It bears repeating, therefore, that in essence e-government aims to
transform relations with citizens, businesses and other arms of government so as to
enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery (Al-Kouri,
2013:1).
What transpires from the explication above is that e-government concerns itself with
enablement and facilitation. In this regard, it facilitates and helps build citizen-government
relationships by bringing the governance process closer to the people. Characteristically,
governments are meant not only to improve the citizens’ quality of life but also produce
within them a sense of inclusion. As asserted by Al-Kouri (2013:1), e-government
achieves this specific objective through the delivery of services to the citizens and
residents at their convenience, thereby allowing secure personal transactions with the
government with a choice of preferred channels and time since by so doing they are
brought closer to the government authorities. Citizen Centric Government has become
the crux of governance in modern times as it essentially redefines not only the parameters
on which governments interact with their citizens but also calls governments to become
open, transparent and collaborative. Hence, it is argued by Al-Kouri (2013:2) that at its
most fundamental level, citizen-centricity is a mind shift from an “institution-centred” view
of government to a “citizen-centred” view of government.
2.4.1 Overall Vision and Strategy
Institutions often have a vision and strategy, a clear overall vision and strategy suggests
a master plan for good governance and for e-Government in selecting the end user,

19
seeing IT not only as a means to an end but also as incorporating IT with the broader
restructuring of objectives (Chowdhury, Habib and Kushchu, 2015:1). Therefore, it is
argued that for a successful implementation of e-Government to be achieved, the overall
vision and strategy needs to be supported by the leaders and top management of the
government (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 81). In this regard, Chowdhury et al. (2015:4) are
of the view that there is always some influence on decision-making processes of any
project and that this is not different from the implementation of IT projects on e-
Government. It becomes necessary, therefore, for IT projects on e-Government to have
suitable strategic plan which would be followed since an e-Government project is bound
to fail if it does not have structures and vision by top managers (Chowdhury et al., 2015:
4). In light of this, the support of top management in governments or institutions for
implementation of e-Government systems and its applications is required, with a sound
vision and strategy regarding resources, training, co-operation and coordination between
partners and stakeholders.
2.4.2 Dominance of Politics and Self-interest
The leaders of institutions responsible for the implementation of e-Government projects
may have individual personal interest and/or situations which are politically dominant in
the project (Chowdhury et al., 2015: 4). Thus, as observed by Mahmood (2013: 35),
countries that are governed by the rule of law, which uphold the values of transparency,
human rights and accountability are more likely to be very successful in their e-
Government initiatives. Therefore, if such initiatives are to succeed, it is imperative that
networks are put in place which provide services based on the needs of citizens in terms
of the implementation of e-Government systems.
2.4.3 Strong Change Management
According to Alshehri and Drew (2010:83), the implementation of e-Government is not
only a pure technical issue but is also an organisational issue. Notable organisational
challenges in e-Government include, among other things: minimal or nonexistent support

20
from top management, opposing forces of change to electronic methods, collaboration
and absence of competent personnel and inadequate training (Alshehri and Drew, 2010:
83). In light of this, the success of e-Government implementation requires improved
change management, incentives to motivate ownership of e-Government project and
stakeholder collaboration and/or support to minimise opposition (Chowdhury et al.,
2015:4).
2.4.4 Effective Project Management
Effective project management is closely linked to the question of the overall vision and
strategy. Effective project management, according to Chowdhury et al. (2015:4), includes
“clear responsibilities, good planning and consideration of risk, good monitoring and
control mechanisms in place, good organisation of resources and well-managed
partnerships between public institutions and public-private joint initiatives.” It is, therefore,
important for any e-Government initiative to also ensure effective project management
among its officials.
2.4.5 Competencies among Government Officials and Lack of Skills
Also tied to the issue of effective project management is the question of competency
among government officials. Competency in e-Government implementation requires
capacity and knowledge on e-Government models and practices (Chowdhury et al., 2015:
4). Lack of ICT skills is thus a huge setback to e-Government implementation especially
in developing countries (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84). Thus, for e-Government systems
to be successfully implemented, qualified personnel are needed to design and develop
the e-Government systems (Nabafu and Maiga, 2012:44). It is, thus, critical for any
government implementing e-Government to pay attention to education and training
programs for its personnel in order to facilitate progress (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84).
Since new technologies, practices and competitive e-government models developed
continuously, it is important that the skills of personnel be upgraded regularly through
training.

21
2.4.6 Adequate Technological Infrastructure
Some technological challenges such as lack of shared standards and well-matched
infrastructure such as computerisation system, telecom and ICT policies constitute a
major challenge to the implementation of e-Governance (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 82).
ICT infrastructure is regarded as a fundamental challenge is facing e-Government
implementation in developing countries (Nabafu and Maiga, 2012: 33). Apart from lack
of infrastructure, other factors such as software problems, internet quality, high cost of
Internet and internet monopoly Service Providers (ISPs) constitute further challenges
(Mahmood, 2013: 33). The digital divide is also potentially increased by the lack of ICT
technologies and infrastructure (Internet World Stats, 2014).
2.4.7 Gaps between the Public and Private sector
According to Mahmood (2013:34), the uncompetitive rates of the public sector compared
to the private sector are a common challenge for the public sector. The dominance of this
situation hampers the hiring of IT professionals, who are qualified, into the public sector
(Ciborra and Nevarra, 2005 as cited in Mahmood, 2013:13). This often results in
professionals being outsourced to the private sector (Mahmood, 2013: 33). This increases
the gap in terms of the design and reality of e-Government between the public and private
sectors. (Heeks, 2003 cited in Mahmood, 2013:33). The implication of this difference
between the private and public sectors is that a system which works in one sector often
does not work in the other as a result of gaps between the designed systems (Alshehri
and Drew, 2010: 82; Internet World Stats, 2014). According to Mahmood (2013: 33), the
prevalence of this situation means that governments may need to adjust their view of the
recipients of e-Government projects. Instead of seeing them as citizens, they should be
perceived as customers. It is, observed, however, that the problem with viewing citizens
as customers is that the client may need market mechanisms and the freedom to select
among alternatives, which is unlikely for an e-Government system monopolises. Again,
the private sector sees customers as a means maximise profit and as such, it introduces
discrimination in prices and other mechanisms which potentially create inequalities

22
among customers. Alshehri and Drew (2010: 84) point out that partnership between all
relevant stakeholders is necessary for successful implementation of e-Government
systems. The public and private sectors need to cooperate so as to share resources,
plans, skills and experiences which the government may not have. The challenge here
lies with the governments having to motivate all other sectors to participate not only in e-
Government and implementation but also in expansion (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84).
2.4.8 Digital Divide
Alshehri and Drew (2010: 84) note that public access to internet and computers is limited
as a result of a lack of income or required skills. Consequently, there is a digital divide
between those who have access and those who do not due to their differing financial
viability. Put differently, “a digital divide is the difference in opportunity between people
with access to the Internet and those who do not” (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84; Internet
World Stats, 2014). In this sense, therefore, a digital divide is "the gap between those with
access to computers and the Internet and those without" (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84).
The digital divide is another challenge in the effort to implement e-Government. The digital
divide is very wide especially between richer and developing countries with high-
developed countries having an average of 416 personal computers for every 1,000
persons and low-income countries with an average of 6 computers per 1,000 (Alshehri
and Drew, 2010: 84). The lack of Internet access is, therefore, an important impediment
to the development of e-Government. According to a report by the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2003), (cited in Alshehri and Drew
2010: 84) and Internet World Stats (2014), people who lack access to the Internet cannot
benefit from e-Government services. If governments can make computers readily
available in public places such as libraries, shopping centres and post offices, it could
help mitigate the effects of the digital divide.

23
2.4.9 Financial Support
Globally, but more so in developing countries, government departments are said to be
experiencing increasing pressure (fiscal, political and public) to increase return on
investment on e-Government applications and that this is accounted for by the scarcity of
resources and the global financial crisis. In Thakur and Singh’s (2013:42) view, this
accounts for why businesses and citizens are setting up their own websites and portals
for their services. Similarly, Rose and Grant (2010), as cited in Mahmood (2013: 35) point
out that a primary challenge to the implementation of e-Government initiatives is the
amount of financial resource required. In the same vein, Mahmood (2013:34) holds that
the implementation of e-Government systems needs a considerable budget for an
efficient system to be initiated and developed. Hence, it is argued that “E-Government
implementation is expensive and therefore the critical barrier to the implementation of e-
Government is a lack of money” (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 85). Calvin, Hill and Smothers
(2004) (cited in Alshehri and Drew, 2010 :85) assert that the high cost of implementing
and maintaining e-Government computer systems in many countries has become a
dilemma because there is no available funding for such purposes. Evidently, therefore, e-
Government failures, especially in developing countries, is a result of these countries not
meeting the financial requirements of such projects and thus, are limited in terms of
resources for successful implementation.
2.4.10 e-Government Awareness and/or Resistance to Change
As asserted by Farelo and Morris (2006:11), in South Africa e-government is in its
developmental stage with a bare minimum of the requisite infrastructural prerequisites.
Thus, human resource development, creating access and internal efficiency are the key
challenges, among other things, facing government. It is against this backdrop that
technological advances must be utilised to improve access for citizens, especially those
in in rural areas. This needs to be coupled with a telecommunications policy that is
supportive. The improvement needed in the area of internal efficiency must also be
approached from the perspective of the people (Farelo and Morris, 2006:11).

24
There is generally a relatively low level of awareness and use of computer applications in
response to government services to the public (Thakur and Singh, 2013:42). Given its
newness, e-government requires transformation from manual conventional ways of
working to the digital or electronic current methods (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84). Feng
(2003) as cited in Alshehri and Drew (2010: 84) is of the view that transformation is likely
to create an advanced environment totally different to what has been in use for many
years in the government sector. Some government workers may be intimidated by e-
Government initiatives. This is likely to create resistance to the implementation of such
systems. To address this challenge, the importance and significance of such systems will
have to be explained to employees (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 84). Again, the success of
any e-government project requires acute awareness campaigns and an increase in the
communication between government and its people (Mahmood, 2013: 34). Governments,
especially those in developing countries, have dove very little in order to increase
awareness on how some of its e-services such as websites may be used. Thus, poor
utilisation of government web resources is a challenge (Mahmood, 2013: 34).
2.4.11 Trust in the Electronic Systems
A common point of contestation is that of "trust of the electronic systems” and of
governments (Arreymbi, 2005b as cited in Mahmood, 2013: 34). Governments are not
trusted in many countries, especially in that have many cases of bad history, dictatorship
and political instability (Mahmood, 2013: 34). To successfully implement e-Government,
it is critical to build trust in both the government and in the systems and in the ability of
government to deliver the services (Mahmood, 2013: 34). Trust can be built through
partnerships with efforts towards e-Government, and is necessary for the success of e-
Government initiatives.

25
2.4.12 Privacy and Security Issues
Privacy is a vital factor in the implementation of e-Government (Alshehri and Drew, 2010:
83). Privacy means the assurance of a suitable level of safeguard and/or protection of
personal information (Alshehri and Drew, 2010: 83). Security issues are also very
important in any e-government initiative (Mahmood, 2013: 35). People feel protected and
self-confident about their online activities and information when the appropriate measures
are put in place to protect their privacy and offer security. On the other hand, if customers
or participating stakeholders do not feel safe about the way their information will be used
or treated (privacy concerns), they become reluctant to conduct their affairs with
government institutions online (Mahmood, 2013: 35). Arguably, this may result in the
eventual failure of e-Government initiatives. Therefore, governments need to assure their
citizens that personal and sensitive data such as financial information will be kept
confidential and protected and will not be used against them in future. Government should
have a secure strategic plan, a privacy policy standard and Data Protection Act in place
to protect citizens and prevent information mismanagement (Mahmood, 2013:35).
Mahmood (2013: 35) avers that governments also need educate its employees on the
significance of privacy by putting mechanisms in place which optimise privacy protection
as well as mechanisms that limit access to personal data by employees.
2.5. An Assessment of e-Government and its Implementation in KwaZulu-Natal
Province
It needs to be conceded though that the advantages or benefits accruing from the
implementation of e-government notwithstanding, there are numerous notable limitations
attached to e-government. From a pragmatic point of view, e--government is not a
panacea for all the ills government faces. It is costly and thus bars those who are not
financially sound from accessing it. For it to thrive successfully, investment in information
and communication technology (ICT), human capital and infrastructure need to be made.
Secondly, the designing and implementation of e-government takes time and any hurried
attempt is likely to produce unsatisfactory results. Thirdly, e-government is risky as it does

26
not have any fail-safe strategies. Fourthly, e-government may be widely subscribed but it
has a number of people too who do not have faith in new technology. Fifthly, e-
government requires e-inclusion, that is, access to information and communication
technologies (ICTs) but this may not be the case in most of the developing countries.
Sixthly, e-government requires e-literacy, that is, a certain minimum level of knowledge
and skills on the part of citizens to access it (Misra, 2006: 7-8).
As observed by Misra (2006:7), a number of challenges relating to e-government are
surfacing today and this attests to the fact that the future of e-government may be sober
and not hype. E-government hype is not e-government reality (Misra, 2006:7). It has been
demonstrated that the central lesson which emerges out of e-government practice is that
public service delivery remains unsatisfactory and its almost revolutionary and vast
potential is still not realised. Thus, it is suggested that redressing this situation requires a
redefinition of e-government anew and an adoption of a citizen-centric criteria-based
definition of the phenomenon to guide the efforts of policy makers and implementers of
e-Government (Misra, 2006:7). Such a definition, it has been argued, needs to be
operationalised e-business plans, that have been carefully prepared, at the central, state
and district levels so that the main objective of e-Governance is not compromised (Misra,
2006:7).
The national, regional and local government have a central role to play in the promotion,
creation, adoption and sustained usage of e-government (Thukar and Singh, 2013:49).
As part of the dive towards improving accessibility of e-services, the KwaZulu- Natal
Province has not only launched a portal but has also created social media links and
developed a roadmap which shows government commitment to the process (Thukar and
Singh, 2013:49). It is against this backdrop that the advocacy roll has been mooted
(Thukar and Singh, 2013:49). Any innovation and ‘disruptive change’ necessitates a
strong strategic and political support by an appropriately influential champion, in this case,
the national or provincial government. Hence, it befits the situation relating to e-
government that the e-Government portal is being driven by the Provincial Premier’s
office (Thukar and Singh, 2013:49). Current ICT initiatives are not channelled towards e-

27
Government as they are directed towards access. Hence, for this access points to deliver
e-government, a national policy and champions to drive the advocacy are needed (Thukar
and Singh, 2013:49).
It is regrettable that there exists a misguided belief by officials that e-Government is the
availability of speeches, policy and legislation on accessible media such as the website.
It is conceded that this is important in its right for information dissemination and e-
transparency and may even represent the first step towards an e-Government culture.
The criticism against it is that it simply creates a static website that is not interactive with
those for whom the service is intended. The situation is compounded by the fact that there
is no white paper or policy for e-Government in South Africa at a national level. It is against
this backdrop that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is a provincial leader in driving and addressing
this gap (Thukar and Singh, 2013:49). From a pragmatic point of view there is need for
strategic and operational awareness, functionally and technically competent people as
well as relevant artefacts to drive demand (Thukar and Singh, 2013:49). The development
of two portals, it is argued, while not currently heavily used, is a welcome nonverbal
commitment on the part of the government towards e-Government. It is also notable that
the establishment of an e-skills hub in KwaZulu-Natal with a focus on e-Government will
in all likelihood assist in both the advocacy pull and the technology and artefact push.
Furthermore, the commissioning of the e-Government KwaZulu-Natal roadmap is
evidence of government taking a pragmatic route towards this genre of service delivery
(Thukar and Singh, 2013:50).
It is worth noting that e-governance promotion is based on two important planks namely:
(a) To reduce red-tape delay and inconveniences through technology interventions
including the use of modern tools, techniques and instruments of e-governance and
(b) Promote knowledge sharing to realise continuous improvement in the quality of
governance (Misra, 2006:2).
Misra’s (2006:3) argument is also worth taking into account, that the e-government
function is not any free-floating function in cyber space because it has a definite objective,

28
which is to transform government. According to Misra (2006:3), this objective is by and
large predicated on two basic premises. The first is the current government functioning
as portrayed by its public service delivery which is very unsatisfactory; and the second is
that government can perform better when it is helped by existing and emerging
information and communication technologies (ICTs). In this conceptualisation, e-
government is tantamount to transformation (Misra, 2006:3). In his explication of this
conceptualisation Misra avers that,
This conceptualisation of e-government gives rise to four important corollaries,
namely, first e-government is an intermediary stage for transforming government,
thus e-government is not an end in itself but a means for reaching an end.
Secondly, e-government must aim at government transformation failing which its
full potential will continue to remain unrealised. Thirdly, any e-government attempt
must be based on administrative reforms, failing which the e-government attempt
may not give desired results. And, lastly, e-government should strive to reach the
ultimate stage, still eluding the developing countries, when e-government becomes
synonymous with government (Misra, 2006:3).
Again, as a sign of commitment, the South African government has established statutory
bodies designated to co-ordinate implementation of e-Government projects. These legal
entities range from the State Information Systems Agency (SITA) which is responsible for
the acquisition, installation, implementation and maintenance of IT in the public sector
and the Government Information Technology Officers Council (GITO Council) consisting
of national and provincial IT officers responsible for the consolidating and coordinating of
IT initiatives in government (Matavire et al., 2010:155). It is worthy of note that although
e-Government activities are made available through government effort, citizens and
businesses, the service is below what is desirable and is far between and expensive. This
situation leads to the inference that although government has committed to e-services,
there are, however, few exceptions which necessitates that the issue of reform be given
the consideration it deserves. This situation accounts for why citizens rage with anger as

29
they demand improved service levels. It is of necessity, therefore, that a stronger
advocacy role be secured to promote e-Government activities by all stakeholders
including government, businesses or civil society (Thakur and Singh, 2013:41).
Some of the primary factors that affect the implementation of e-Government projects at a
provincial level in the South African context are the leadership, stakeholder engagement
and project fragmentation (Matavire et al., 2010:162). It is also notable that the distinct
jurisdiction of tiers of government as regards service delivery has resulted in excessive
legislation, complex and rigid organisational structure and uncoordinated strategies and
initiatives which hinder the implementation of e-Government as initially envisaged
(Matavire et al., 2010:162).. Notwithstanding the challenges, the policy and regulatory
framework in South Africa have created an enabling environment for e-Government
success. It is for this reason that legislation on security and interoperability promotes e-
Government while the institution of statutory bodies and clusters have taken upon
themselves the enhancement of coordination between national and provincial efforts.
Additionally, the deregulation of the telecommunications market is envisaged not only to
significantly improve accessibility but also to reduce cost and thus render such financially
sound and reasonable. As argued Matavire et al. (2010:162), collaborating with structures
of community has also contributed towards the success of e-Government initiatives
irrespective of the fact that much is still left to be done in order to enhance cooperation
among the relevant stakeholders (Matavire et al., 2010:162).
It bears emphasising that the use of ICTs is conceived of as an indispensable tool not
only for reform and transformation but also for leveraging second world economies up to
first world economies. In this regard, government plays a critical role not only in supporting
and enabling this process but also in the creation of a socially inclusive society. The
literature surrounding e-government, in general, shows that governments need to follow
a strategic planning model to ensure successful implementation (Homburg, 2008; Lowery
,2001; Otenyo and Lind ,2011; Sherry et al., 2012). It is thus argued that lack of such

30
strategies constitute one of the primary causes of the existing gaps in the coordination
and communication between various stakeholders and initiatives (Al-Kouri, 2013:2).
It is noted by eEurope (2002) that it is always a big challenge to implement a strategic
plan and that providing services that are is citizen-oriented demands for a new, service-
oriented approach (eEurope, 2002 cited in Al-Kouri, 2013:8). Thus, the next wave of
South African e-Government projects should move away from pure information
dissemination and towards interactive service delivery projects (Thakur and Singh,
2013:43). Although online infrastructure and services trending downward, it is
encouraging that human capital seems to be marginally on the increase (Thakur and
Singh, 2013:44).
It thus needs to be emphasised that South Africa has sufficient infrastructure in-place for
increased B2C, G2G, G2C and G2B activities (Thukar and Singh, 2013:45). It is also
worth emphasising that an analysis of local government Integrated Development Plans
(IDPs) suggest that many municipalities are increasingly embarking on projects that
leverage ICT for the provision of services. As such this makes provision for a considerable
opportunity towards an increased and improved e-Government paradigm (Thukar and
Singh, 2013:47). It is also argued that e-Readiness of South African local government is
in good standing when considering the SARS and Home Affairs examples. It is clear from
these examples that creating perceived useful artefacts will drive adoption and that strong
advocacy through sustained advertising will sustain and may grow adoption (Thukar and
Singh, 2013:48). Thus on the basis of the discussion above, it can be asserted
emphatically that South Africa needs a strategy to create awareness at all levels since it
has the best ICT infrastructure in Africa. Therefore, it is of importance to note that there
is tangible evidence that the digital divide gap is diminishing as government is steadily
increasing the number of access points in rural South Africa (Thukar and Singh, 2013:48).
2.6 Conclusion
This chapter reviewed the literature on e-Government implementation, its advantages and
the critical factors which determine success or failure of the implementation of e-
Government systems. It is evident that e-Government has several advantages or benefits

31
to all sectors of the government, citizens and businesses. Nonetheless, the intricacies of
e-Government systems entail a broad range of challenges as well in terms of its
implementation and administration. These challenges and barriers hamper the
implementation of e-government more particularly in developing countries. Governments,
therefore, need to consider these critical factors in implementing e-Government initiatives
if they are to successfully implement e-Government and enjoy its benefits together with
their citizens.
The next chapter discusses the methodology that was used in conducting this study. It
discusses, among other things, the research design, sampling strategies and data
collection.

32
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This study explored the nature and extent of e-Government activities in South Africa from
the perspectives of business driven e-Government initiatives, government driven e-
Government and civil society driven e-Government programs. As a general trend, when
undertaking research, it is essential to make use of a structured research methodology to
ensure that the research has integrity in the sense of being reliable, valid and amenable
to reproducibility (Leedy and Ormrod, 2013: 57). According to Leedy and Ormrod (2013,
58), research methodology a framework of operation in which the meaning of facts are
made clearer. The area of interest in this study was the effectiveness of e-Government
implementation of projects by the Social Cluster Departments in KwaZulu-Natal Province
in South Africa. The parameter of interest was the nature, perceived extent and perceived
usage of e-Government artefacts.
This study assessed the effectiveness of e-Government implementation with specific
reference to the Social Cluster Departments of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province in
South Africa. This chapter discusses the methodology used in the study. The chapter
discusses not only aspects of the research design, research philosophy and research
strategies but also the target population, the research instrument, data analysis, validity,
reliability and ethical considerations. The chosen research design enabled the researcher
to realise the research objectives.
3.2 Research Philosophy
According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009:107), a research philosophy is
concerned with to the development and nature of the knowledge that is developed.
Research is aimed at the developing of new knowledge and understanding about a
certain phenomenon or reality in general based on certain assumptions and worldviews
encompassed in the research philosophy or paradigm. Guba and Lincoln (1994:105)

33
argue that the research philosophy is of fundamental importance. This is because, the
philosophy shapes the researcher’s beliefs, assumptions and decisions regarding
epistemology – nature of knowledge and how it is produced; ontology – nature/what
constitute reality; methodology – the strategy for collecting needed research data for the
production of knowledge and the rationale behind such strategy; and axiology – the
values and position of the researcher in relation to the research (Guba and Lincoln
1994:105).
There are different research philosophies which are identifiable through the perspective
from which they draw their guiding principles such as realism, positivism, interpretivism,
and constructionism (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009: 107). This research is shaped
by the positivist philosophy which implies that the researcher dealt with an observable
social reality (e-government) because, within this philosophy, only such phenomenon is
believed to yield credible research data. It also implies that, as far as possible, the
researcher adopted a value-free stance in relation to the research. Thus, the researcher
tried to be independent, objective and not emotionally invested in the research.
The interest of the researcher was more on facts rather than feelings. This was made
possible by the choice of a quantitative research method which resonates with the
positivist philosophy and objectives, and also enhances replication. The quantitative
methodology is structured and attempted to collect quantifiable data which allowed for
statistical analysis (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009: 107).
Anderson (2006:1) describes a quantitative research as a measurement that is objective,
statistically valid and involves a large number of respondents. A quantitative research is
usually deductive and the process directed by a conceptual framework, and forms
parameters within which the research is conducted (Poggenpoel, Myburgh and Van Der
Linde, 2006:412). Besides encouraging replication, it is advantageous to use the
quantitative approach as it places great emphasis on the objectivity and reliability of the
research findings. The quantitative approach allows different researchers observing the
same factual problem to generate similar results by using statistical tests and applying
similar research processes in investigating a large sample (Wahyuni, 2012:71).

34
Quantitative research differs from qualitative research in that the latter stems from an anti-
positivistic, interpretative philosophy which is idiographic in nature and aims to
understand social life and the meanings that people attach to it (Poggenpoel et al.,
2006:409). According to Anderson (2006:1), a qualitative research involves collecting,
analysing and interpretation of data by focusing on the meanings, concepts, definitions
and descriptions of things. Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative
research. Thus, to avoid the intrusion of subjectivity on the part of the researcher, this
study opted for the quantitative research approach as an appropriate method to use in
order to circumvent the possibility of adopting a subjective stance in relation to the issues
being dealt with.
This study used a quantitative method which involves the collection of data through tools
such as questionnaire. As argued by Anderson (2006:1), any quantitative research should
be objective, measurable and statistically valid. Data on the effectiveness of e-
Government implementation in the Social Cluster Departments of the KwaZulu-Natal
provincial government was collected by means of a questionnaire. The participants
selected from each Social Cluster Department of the KZN provincial government
responded to the questions according to the dictates of their personal opinions and lived
experiences. Participants for the study were the personnel from the management staff
and the ICT Departments within the Social Cluster Departments.
3.3 Research Strategies
This study used a quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive survey to generate
information on the effectiveness of e-Government implementation in the Social Cluster
Departments of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. Quantitative research
methods generate reliable population-based data and are well suited in establishing
cause-and-effect relationships (Naidoo, 2013:28). In addition, quantitative research
methods are objective and measurable. The questionnaire method of collecting data was
used because a relatively smaller sample was selected from the target population.

35
The administration of the questionnaire was preceded by a presentation to the KZN ICT
forum structure of the provincial government. This was a helpful way of negotiating access
to the study elements as it made the study population more accessible and increased the
chances of obtaining a high rate of response. Because the members of the forum were
given a better understanding of the research, its relevance and their role in it through the
presentation, they became more disposed and willing to participate both in the pilot and
the actual studies.
.
3.4 Target Population
This study focused on the Social Cluster Departments in the KZN provincial government
which comprises of approximately 230, 000 workers distributed across the 10 government
departments which include the following: Department of Health; Department of Transport;
Department of Agriculture; Department of Social Development; Department of Education;
Department of Housing; Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism; Department
of Sports and Recreation; Department of Public Works and Department of Public Services
and Administration. This cluster deals with social development as well as macro-social
issues including social cohesion. The choice of this cluster was motivated by the fact that
these departments have central programs in the social sector and focus on poverty
alleviation which is in line with the goals of e-Government.
The large number of workers in the cluster under investigation makes it difficult to collect
information from everyone. For example, the Department of Health has over 89, 000
employees and the Department of Education has 125, 000. Thus, the target population
for this study had to be limited to the staff in management positions, 100% heads of ICT
units and 40% ICT personnel within these departments because the study itself is about
e-governance.

36
3.5 Sampling
The population elements of the studied departments were selected using the non-
probabilistic sampling. Non-probability (also called non-random) sampling is used when
the number of elements in the population is unknown, hence the chances of selecting an
element are not known. Types of non-probability sampling include: convenience
(haphazard); quota; purposive (judgmental); snowball and maximum variation sampling.
The non-probability sampling method was adopted for this study allows the researcher to
deliberately obtain units of analysis in such a manner that the sample they obtain may be
regarded as being representative of the relevant population (Welman, 2005:69).
The purposive (judgmental) sampling technique was used to select the population
elements among government employees of the various selected departments. This
technique was thought to be appropriate because the researcher was interested in a
specific area, that is, e-government, which have specific and limited number of people
who could be identified within the wider study population. Thus, the researcher made
judgements about participants using specific criteria.
3.5.1 Criteria for Selecting Respondents
The criteria for selecting samples included being in management positions and heading
an ICT division in the various departments of the KZN social cluster. The managements
were also asked to identify internal recipients of e-Government services within the
department to participate in the study. These were asked to complete the survey
questionnaires. Targeting these specific groups can result in obtaining precise information
as these groups are directly involved in the implementation of policies and other
technological issues of the cluster. Another important criterion was the willingness to
participate in the study.

37
3.5.2. Sample Size
A total of 150 questionnaires were sent to the 10 different departments in the social cluster
of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. Each department received 15
questionnaires that were to be completed by the management and/or staff from the ICT
division as well as internal service recipient. The response rate was 100% as all the
questionnaires were returned making the sample size 150 participants.
3.6. The Research Instrument
Based on the literature reviewed earlier in the study, a self-administered questionnaire
was used as a research instrument to collect primary data on the effectiveness of e-
Government implementation in the Social Cluster Departments of the KwaZulu-Natal
provincial government. This research instrument was chosen because of the ease in
administering it and the relatively less time it takes for a respondent to provide the needed
information. The data collected was mainly around the implementation of e-Government
in the respondent’s department with special emphasis on the benefits and costs of
implementing e-Government in the respective departments. The first part of the
questionnaire covered details of the respondent in relation to the department, that is, their
position, division and years in the organisation. Subsequently, the questionnaire asked
about the benefits of implementing e-Government as observed by the respondent. Other
aspects that facilitate the effective implementation of e-Government were then covered
in the latter part of the questionnaire.
3.6.1 The Advantages and Disadvantages of Questionnaires
Jones, Murphy, Edwards and James (2008:16) suggest that questionnaires have certain
advantages which include the following:
(a) The costs involved with regards to the data collection and processing are low;
(b) There is minimal training involved by the person administering the questionnaire;
(c) Questionnaires can reach larger numbers of a target population;
(d) They can be delivered in a several ways including physically and electronically as
email attachments.

Dessertation Final

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Dessertation Final

Similar to Dessertation Final (20)

Dessertation Final