Identification of clinical performance indicators in the emergency setting the use of e-governance service delivery in the eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Background: E-governance, which is the use of information and communication technology in public or private service delivery, has been adopted by many nations throughout the globe, including South Africa. It is a convenient, efficient and transparent way that can ensure that government institutions become more accountable and responsible. The desire for a more personalised interaction between government and citizens has, according to various studies, increased over the past few years. This has prompted a growing need for citizen- and business-focused digital government. Aim of the Study: This study therefore sought to investigate the role being played by e-governance on service delivery in the eThekwini municipality of Kwa-Zulu Natal. At the same time the study discusses the challenges faced by the eThekwini municipality in providing effective service delivery through e-governance and provide possible recommendations that could be implemented to ensure effective service delivery in the eThekwini municipality through e-governance. Methodology: The convergent mixed method research approach was used in this study. Survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to collect primary data from eThekwini citizens, businesspeople, as well municipal workers. These participants were selected using convenience and purposive sampling. The latest version of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the quantitative data collected and thematic analysis for analysing the qualitative data. Results: The findings reveal that both staff and citizens are relatively open to egovernment services; however, there are numerous hurdles such as internet connectivity, the user interfaces, and digital literacy that need to be overcome to improve the ‘buy-in’ and usage by both staff and citizens. Conclusion: The study highlighted both the achievements and challenges associated with e-governance in the eThekwini Municipality. The municipality’s adoption of ICT in service delivery has yielded improvements in efficiency and accessibility for digitally connected residents, demonstrating the potential of e-governance to enhance public services. However, barriers, such as digital infrastructure gaps, organisational resistance, and socio-economic disparities, limit the full realisation of these benefits.