Abstract
E-governance is defined as the capacity to transform public administration using information and communication technologies. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is the systematic assessment of the progress of a programme or intervention towards its intended goal. Taking e-governance as an intervention targeted at improving service delivery, the study examined the use of monitoring and evaluation to improve e-governance in the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD). The effectiveness of e-governance has a critical role and process in improving the provision of services in the GDSD using monitoring and evaluation for alignment to the e-governance system and process.
This study used Qualitative research and an interpretivism research paradigm for the subjective views of participants as the researcher used the semi-structured interviews as the data collection process. The theory of change as its lens in this study, taking the use of e-governance for monitoring and evaluation as the desired change outcome. A sample of 10 participants was drawn from the Gauteng Department of Social Department using purposive sampling. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.
The study found that due to these and other challenges, monitoring and evaluation have not been effective in ensuring the effective application and functioning of e-governance systems in the GDSD. The main challenges associated with the monitoring and evaluation were financial, change-resistance-related, leadership matters and beneficiary-related digital access limitations. E-governance had therefore been poorly established in the GDSD, resulting in reliance on manual systems. This denied the public e-governance benefits such as increased government transparency and accountability, improved social service delivery, and cost and time efficiency advantages. The study has shown through observation that e-governance can be improved through monitoring and evaluation but also GDSD needs to train the stakeholders on the use of e-governance.
It was recommended that the department should focus on e-governance monitoring and evaluation capacity building including through training staff and beneficiary groups. It should also introduce e-governance user support systems and formulate a change management plan to guide the digital transformation from manual systems to e-governance. The department should also engage stakeholders, including the public as part of this transformation.