Budget 2025: Government’s Operation Vulindlela programme will prioritise digital transformation as it enters its second phase.
This will be key to build a capable state supported by digital transformation, according to the 2025 budget review, which coincides with finance minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech.
Godongwana tabled his budget at Cape Town City Hall this afternoon, after it was historically postponed last month following upheaval caused by the proposed 2% value-added tax hike.
The budget speech outlines government’s spending, tax and borrowing plans for the next three years. It divides money between national departments, provinces and municipalities.
With digital transformation one of the new priorities for Operation Vulindlela phase two, the state is looking to invest in digital public infrastructure to support service delivery and expand financial inclusion.
Based on National Treasury’s budget review document, such reforms will include “relaunching the government website for improved access to services, implementing digital identity and payment systems, growing data interoperability by establishing data exchange for research and service delivery, and increasing access to data and information for transparency and accountability through the publication of a procurement payments dashboard.
“The Integrated Financial Management System will provide critical infrastructure and data capabilities needed to enhance financial oversight, automate processes and support greater integration and responsiveness.”
Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the Presidency and the National Treasury that aims to accelerate structural reforms and support economic recovery. The unit monitors progress and actively supports implementation.
For the state, phase one of Operation Vulindlela supported economic growth by alleviating power cuts, improving logistics performance, reducing data costs, enhancing water supply, attracting needed skills and supporting tourism.
Operation Vulindlela phase two priorities must be approved by Cabinet before they are moved forward.
In his State of the Nation Address in February, president Cyril Ramaphosa touted the Government of National Unity’s plans to place technology at the heart of public services.
According to Ramaphosa, this would form part of government’s work to reform the public service and build a capable state.
Among these will be the state’s investment in digital public infrastructure to give South Africans access to government services anytime, anywhere, through a relaunched gov.za platform, he told the public.
“At the heart of this transformation will be the implementation of a digital identity system.
“These measures will transform the relationship between citizens and government, and create one government that is accessible to every person at a touch,” he stated.
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