24 Mar 2021

Eight government online services are expected to be rolled out today at the Molepolole Service Hall. 

According to a statement from SmartBots, a government initiative under the Digital Implementation Strategy, the rollout is based on the 1Gov principle aimed at enabling citizens to access public services.

Another aim is to start off a new customer-centric service culture in the civil service, says the statement.

Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology Dr Douglas Letsholathebe accompanied by his Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration colleague Mr Kabo Morwaeng and development partners, is scheduled to start off the rollout.

The services include vehicle registration, applications for driver’s license, customary and common law land rights, plants import permit, sale of veterinary drugs, vaccines, equipment and livestock feeds, BAITS as well as the  National Internship Programme.

The rollout comes after SmartBots delivered a mobile GovApp in January to be used for accessing services through the cellphone.

The statement says online services, a milestone towards digitization and public sector transformation through the use of ICT and innovation, will help improve service delivery within the public sector which has been a concern over the years.

It notes that the call to ‘digitally enable’ the public sector has been on the rise around the globe due to the outbreak of COVID-19. 

The pandemic has revealed the urgent need for government to fast-track the provision of services online smoothly without interruptions, the statement says.

While not all government services will be online at once as more are still being developed, the move is a welcome development in heeding the call to effectively adopt ICT and innovation.

The statement says Botswana is quickly adopting a robust and more effective business approach model of seeking advanced forms of technology-backed solutions and tools that will help citizens conduct business-related activities anytime and from anywhere.

With the rollout of e-services, SmartBots, which is leading the transformation, will help the public sector to transform, improve service delivery and restore trust in government institutions as citizens will be able to interact with services thereby reducing delays.ends