Developing the SAPS website for optimal service delivery

10 Further research

At the Regional Workshop on Building e-Governance Capacity in African countries, held in Johannesburg in October/November 2002, issues such as whether Africa is “e-ready” were discussed. Arguments persist that Africa does not need computers, but water and clothes and other necessities.

The counter-argument made by South African public service and administration minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi was that service delivery to all citizens could be improved by making use of technology. She emphasised that slow forms of development in this field had to be leapfrogged (Emdon 2002).

The concept of e-governance is still fairly new to the world at large. It is definitely a form of transparency and democratic behaviour that has not been considered much by police agency websites. This is made clear by the assessments of police agency websites of other countries in this study.

The adoption of e-governance by police agencies therefore requires in-depth research. This is especially true for police agencies in Africa, where the digital divide is an undeniable reality. e-Government is primarily about access – creating access to services for citizens through the means convenient to them.

The SAPS could benefit by further research into how e-Governance could impact positively on police service delivery. The following research areas are indicated:

A strategy and guidelines for improving the quality of the SAPS website, supported by a roadmap that provides more detail on the steps required in the development of online services.
Measuring the impact that electronic media could have on the South African citizen’s life as far as safety and security is concerned. This may include increased awareness of high-crime areas, scams, incidence of vehicle thefts, etc.
Mechanisms the SAPS should apply for bridging the digital divide, in order to deliver its services online to the large part of its constituency that does not have access to information and communication technologies.
Ways that South Africa, as a leader in the use of telecommunications on the African continent, could assist other African countries in combating crime and ensuring a peaceful and fair society, through the use of online service delivery methods.
The use of automated mechanisms to ensure updated content on a website such as the size of the SAPS website. This should be supported by clear policy that states the responsibility for content.
The role of NEPAD and its role-players in drawing up an African development plan for information and communication technologies – and, specifically, the SAPS participation in this regard.
The role of electronic government and information systems in supporting the fight against crime.
The role of the electronic media in improving the image of SAPS with the constituency – including ways in which this media could support the government’s commitment to transparency and good governance.
Ways that the SAPS electronic media could be used in supporting the SAPS training and development goals, such as by creating an internal awareness of the SAPS national strategy, and of its special programmes and objectives.
The development of a measurement tool for quantifying the impact of online services on the SAPS in reaching the eight objectives of the South African government’s Batho Pele (“People first”) initiative.