STAATSKOERANT, 31 Mei 2024 No. 50741   129 and services. This will address service delivery challenges and economic inclusion, making South Africa globally competitive. To fully benefit from the digital economy, investment in broadband infrastructure, data centres, and associated technologies such as cloud computing is necessary. Such investments should be supported by clear IT security protocols, cybersecurity measures, and a data governance framework that supports open data principles. The overall policy framework on data and cloud must be based on open standards and systems, including open-source frameworks, rather than closed and exclusive systems. The integrity of a digital economy, as a sharing economy, depends on its ability to deliver sharing advantages to ecosystem partners while protecting citizens, customers, and partners. 3. PROBLEM STATEMENT Government departments and agencies collect vast amounts of data related to services such as health, education, identity documents, birth registration, driver's licenses, and business registrations. This data is stored in various formats, with some kept as hard copies and others in servers within departmental facilities. The private sector, in contrast, has rapidly digitized, using digital technologies like data analytics and cloud services to gain insights for customizing products and services and identifying new opportunities. The government faces challenges due to slow technology adoption, leading to disjointed data collection, storage, and processing. The lack of common data governance mechanisms hampers data integration, sharing, and system interoperability. This siloed approach results in lost opportunities for evidence-based policymaking, integrated planning, and making nonsensitive data available for innovation and the development of digital goods and services to support employment and reduce poverty. Considering data as a key enabler for digital transformation and the digital economy, it is crucial to ensure equitable access to data to foster digital and economic inclusion. In a society marked by significant inequalities (South Africa had the highest income inequality in 2021 with a Gini score of 63), the government must continually seek mechanisms to foster economic inclusion and bridge the gap between the rich and poor. Digital inclusion through affordable connectivity, data, and digital technology access is vital for achieving these goals, 7 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za