Abstract
This study examines factors that facilitate or hinder stakeholder collaboration in the digital transformation of municipal healthcare services within Gauteng’s municipal clinics. Although the benefits of digital transformation in healthcare are well-documented, the factors that affect stakeholder collaboration specifically within municipal healthcare services in South Africa have received limited scholarly attention. In resource-constrained South African settings, the successful implementation of digital transformation in municipal healthcare is crucial for improving service accessibility, efficiency, and patient experience and depends heavily on effective stakeholder collaboration. Following a quantitative research design, the study collected primary data through a structured survey administered to 210 healthcare workers in Gauteng. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS to identify critical factors influencing collaboration. The analysis reveals that role clarity, dependency on digital services, trust in digital reliability, and communication platforms are key factors impacting stakeholder collaboration. While stakeholders generally agree on the importance of collaboration in digital transformation, they hold differing views on role clarity and digital service reliability. The study highlights the importance of inclusive collaboration, as recommended by stakeholder theory, to address challenges in digital adoption. Key recommendations include clearly defining roles, enhancing digital infrastructure, providing training, fostering user trust in digital services, and establishing structured platforms for stakeholder input. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers and healthcare administrators to optimize stakeholder collaboration, thereby supporting a user-centered, robust digital transformation in municipal healthcare settings in South Africa.