The South African Government has this week launched a Digital Transformation Roadmap, setting out a vision to improve public services and drive inclusive economic growth. It includes plans for a digital identity system and an easy-to-use website that improves access to government information and services. Alumni, faculty and researchers at the Blavatnik School of Government community have contributed to catalysing and shaping this initiative.
Saul Musker, former Master of Public Policy student and current Director of Strategy in the South African President’s Office, was involved in leading the conceptual development of the roadmap. Melvyn Lubega, also an MPP alumnus, was recently appointed the Head of South Africa’s new Digital Services Unit, which will oversee its implementation.
The effort has been supported by an International Advisory Panel, co-chaired by Dr Aaron Maniam, Blavatnik School Fellow of Practice. Aaron, who studied the Master of Public Policy course in the same year as Melvyn, provided expert guidance on the formation of the strategy.
“As Director of Digital Transformation Education at the School, my greatest hope is to see the nuanced ideas and models we teach being operationalised”, Aaron noted.
“Working on this project with Saul, Melvyn and their team has been an amazing ride–incorporating global best practice in Digital Public Infrastructure, which features strongly in the School’s technology offerings; witnessing the team add unique South African perspectives; and constantly keeping in mind how we can keep citizen welfare front and centre in the project’s priorities”.
Saul Musker outlined the role that Blavatnik School experts can play in supporting government policy. “Governments today face more complex challenges than ever before, and the school has an unparalleled depth of expertise in responding to these challenges”, he said.
“Working with Aaron and Melvyn on South Africa’s digital transformation roadmap has enabled us to translate the best available evidence and cutting-edge advice into real-world policy implementation”.
The Economic Policy Network, a joint initiative from the Blavatnik School of Government and the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), has also been engaging with the South African government to support evidence-based policy design and strategic reform planning, as well as acting as a peer review partner.
“Digital transformation is not just about technology. It’s about building institutions that are more responsive, more transparent, and ultimately more capable of delivering for citizens”, noted Melvyn Lubega, who will be implementing the plans in the roadmap.
“This kind of work is exactly what we hoped to be doing when we first walked into the School: taking what we’ve learned and using it to make a real difference.”
As Saul Musker puts it, “I knew that my experience at the Blavatnik School of Government would give me the tools to become a better public servant. What I have realised since then is that the network of BSG alumni and faculty is an equally important asset. This is what sets the BSG apart, and enables it to contribute to a world better led, better served and better governed.”
