STAATSKOERANT, 24 JANUARIE 2014 No. 37261 Chapter 6: Digital Information Age: E-services & Cybersecurity 6.1 Introduction E-service commonly refers to the provision of services via the internet. E-service therefore includes both e-commerce and e-government. The rendering of government services and information to the public using electronic means, allows government to deliver services to citizens when they need them. It can also improve the quality of such services. In South Africa, e-government has gained significant ground and great strides have been made to use e-government to simplify government procedures, improve access to information by citizens, and improve service delivery, as well as strengthening accountability and transparency. E-commerce on the other hand, refers to conducting business online. The phrase is used to describe business that is conducted over the internet using any of the applications that rely on the internet. These applications include email, instant messaging, web services etc. E-commerce has grown rapidly since users began to search for services and goods sold over the internet. The introduction of e-commerce has changed the scope of the commercial landscape, affecting all aspects of the value chain from supplier to consumer. 6.2 E-government 6.2.1 Regulatory environment for e-government in South Africa The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) is responsible for the development and coordination of government's overall e-government strategy. Key legislation for e-government is the Public Service Act of 1994 and its subsequent amendments. This Act provides for, amongst others, the establishment of norms and standards relating to e-government and information management in the public service. The White Papers on Transforming Public Service Delivery (WPTPSD), Promotion of Access to Information Act, Electronic Communication and Transaction Act, Electronic Government Policy Framework, Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS), Minimum Interoperability Standards (MIOS) and Policy on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) discussed the concept of e-government. Collectively, these frameworks promote transparency, accountability, good governance, information security, and freedom in the acquisition and use of IT. The South African government has established statutory bodies to co-ordinate implementation of e-Government projects. Amongst these are the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) and Government Information Technology Officers Council (GITO Council). SITA is responsible for the acquisition, installation, implementation, and maintenance of IT in the public sector. The GITO Council, which consists of national and provincial IT officers, is responsible for consolidating and coordinating IT initiatives in government, including e-Government, to facilitate service delivery. 6.2.2 Overview of services There are various levels of maturity for the provision of e-government services, as indicated in Chapter 3 of this report. For the South African government, the focus is on G2G (government-to-government), G2BC (Government to Business & Citizen) and G2C (government-to-citizen) activities. Improved service delivery is facilitated by building eGovernment awareness, being a model user in e-Government centres of excellence, working towards one government information and communication channel (one portal, one call centre, etc.) and above all providing expertise on e-services. 45 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za 49