Abstract
Background
The South African government has made considerable progress in digitising services at both national and local levels to enhance service delivery. Existing research indicates that, while the South African government endeavours to digitise its services, several challenges persist. Furthermore, there has been limited research into the role of government communicators in promoting and communicating these e-government services.
Objective/Purpose
This study aims to explore the readiness of Polokwane Local Municipality communicators to incorporate 4IR technologies into their e-government service communications. As the South African government continues to roll out the provision of e-services, the role of communicators is in the spotlight, as they bear the responsibility to ensure that these services are effectively communicated and comprehended by residents, to facilitate their optimal utilisation.
Methods
The study employs a qualitative research approach and adopts a phenomenology research design to explore the participants' lived experiences in relation to the research questions. Data was collected using ten in-depth interviews and a hybrid thematic analysis approach was followed.
Results/Findings
Study findings reveal an awareness and willingness to use and adopt 4IR technologies among communicators. However, the lack of formal training and unclear policy on usage and adoption of the latest 4IR tools remains a challenge for Government Communicators.
Conclusions
The study demonstrates government communicators have a strong positive disposition towards the adoption of 4IR technologies to augment e-government service communication. Although participants displayed a general satisfaction among with
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their existing channels and strategies, they expressed a marked willingness to embrace the latest 4IR technologies to enhance and optimise their current communication tools and methods