I extend heartfelt congratulations to Melvyn Lubega on his appointment to lead South Africa’s new digital service unit. His experience as a tech entrepreneur and systems thinker brings fresh momentum to the country’s digital transformation journey. This is not just an appointment — it’s a statement of intent.
As the founder of GovChat, South Africa’s largest citizen engagement platform, I’ve witnessed first-hand both the promise and the pain points of driving large-scale digital transformation in partnership with government. The road is not easy, but it is necessary. As we look ahead to what Melvyn’s leadership can deliver, it’s vital that we reflect on the lessons that got us here.
COVID-19: A Test of Digital Government in Real Time
GovChat played a pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the value of agile, citizen-focused platforms at a time when trust in public services was critical.
We enabled over 10 million South Africans to apply for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant digitally — many using only a basic mobile phone. By integrating with SASSA, we simplified access to much-needed financial relief. At the height of the pandemic, GovChat also facilitated health screenings and exposure notifications, helping the Department of Health reach millions.
Equally, the platform served as a bridge between citizens and local government — enabling service delivery reporting, ward-level communication, and access to emergency information. These moments crystallised a core belief: digital public infrastructure is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
Lesson 1: Interoperability Is Non-Negotiable
Digital transformation fails when departments operate in silos. One of our earliest and ongoing challenges was the lack of interoperability — systems that couldn’t talk to each other, even within the same sphere of government. The Data Exchange Framework in the Digital Transformation Roadmap is a welcome move toward a unified state architecture. But it must be implemented with urgency and courage.
Lesson 2: Buy-In Must Be Earned, Not Assumed
GovChat’s growth was built on persistent engagement with government departments — not just at the top, but across every level. We had to prove the value of digital engagement, especially in a policy environment where paper still holds primacy. It took more than technology; it took trust, delivery, and accountability.
Lesson 3: Co-Creation Is the Currency of Relevance
The most effective digital services are not designed in boardrooms. They are co-created with communities. GovChat was built in partnership with citizens — from social grant recipients to local councillors. That process of listening, iterating, and adapting ensured we delivered tools people actually needed, in languages they understood, on platforms they already used.
Lesson 4: Beware of Public-Private Partnerships That Seek to Profit from Public Infrastructure
Digital public goods should serve people, not monopolies. Our legal battle with Meta (Facebook) serves as a stark reminder: even the most well-intentioned partnerships can become exploitative when private platforms attempt to exert control over national digital infrastructure.
GovChat was built to serve South African citizens — not to generate data for foreign tech giants or allow them to dictate how public platforms operate. As we build the next chapter of digital government, we must ensure that sovereignty, equity, and public value are non-negotiable. Public infrastructure must remain in public hands — accountable to the people, not algorithms or shareholders.
Lesson 5: Accessibility Must Be Built into the Design — Not Added Later
True digital inclusion begins with meeting people where they are. That’s why GovChat integrated with WhatsApp — the most widely used communication platform in South Africa — to reach citizens across all demographics, especially those who are digitally and economically marginalised. By leveraging a familiar, zero-rated, mobile-based tool, we helped ensure that millions of South Africans could access government services without data costs, downloads, or digital literacy barriers.
Accessibility is not just a technical feature; it is a moral imperative. If a grandmother in a rural village, or a job seeker with only a prepaid phone, cannot access a public service, then digital transformation has failed — no matter how sophisticated the system behind it.
A Digital Government for All
The Digital Transformation Roadmap’s pillars — from a Digital Identity System to a One-Touch Services Platform — echo many of the ideals we fought for. But vision alone is not enough. It will require leadership that’s collaborative, technically grounded, and relentlessly focused on outcomes.
Melvyn, your role comes with immense responsibility and incredible opportunity. You inherit a moment defined by both public urgency and institutional momentum. My hope is that you build on the foundations laid, avoid the mistakes we’ve made, and scale the successes we’ve shared.
On behalf of the Civic Engagement community, congratulations — and welcome to the next frontier of public service.
- Eldrid Jordaan, Professor of Practice at Johannesburg Business School, University of Johannesburg
