Digital Mzansi: building South Africa’s democratic digital public infrastructure

Date

3:40 pm—4:00 pm · June 11, 2025

Room

Auditorium / Livestreamed

Practical insights from South Africa's groundbreaking Digital Mzansi initiative — a comprehensive programme to transform government service delivery through democratic Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Hear of the concrete progress that has been made, and plans for building open, inclusive digital systems that reach millions of citizens.

The project is working directly with South Africa’s presidency and the Interdepartmental Working Group on Digital Transformation. Hear of the concrete progress that has been made, and plans for building open, inclusive digital systems that reach millions of citizens.

Four key DPI initiatives are being implemented in 2025-2027:

• Digital Identity: Creating biometric verification systems and digital document wallets that enable remote service access while protecting privacy
• Data Exchange: Building interoperable systems that enable wrap-around services linking social protection with employment opportunities
• Digital Payments: Developing inclusive payment infrastructure that reduces costs and enables dignified transactions
• Digital Channels: Creating unified government service platforms that improve accessibility and reduce barriers. 

Learn how foundational digital infrastructure can democratise service delivery, while reducing dependency on proprietary systems, with specific examples of how this transformation benefits vulnerable populations — from enabling remote social grant enrollment to connecting beneficiaries with employment opportunities.

The session is particularly relevant for government officials, civic technologists, and democracy advocates working on digital transformation initiatives, offering practical insights from South Africa’s experience in building democratic and sovereign digital infrastructure that serves all citizens.

Explore

• https://digitalmzansi.org