GovTech conference to reward public service innovation

GovTechSA, the government technology conference put together by the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), has announced that entries are open for the ICT Public Service Awards.

The awards, which will be presented at the conference (taking place from 25 to 28 October in Durban), aim to provide a platform to recognise excellence and acknowledge government institutions as well as ICT players from other industries where technology has improved lives.

“Our ICT Public Service Awards will also highlight aspects such as leadership excellence in IT operations and transformation of the business of government through effective technology use,” says Dr Setumo Mohapi, CEO of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), which hosts GovTech and which devised and sponsors the ICT Public Service Awards.

These awards aim to provide a platform to recognise excellence and acknowledge government institutions and ICT players from any other sphere who have used technology to improve the lives of our citizens, he says.

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Awards will be presented for outstanding ICT achievement in seven categories. The first three categories recognise outstanding ICT service delivery, an outstanding ICT product or service or outstanding ICT transformation at national, provincial and local government levels. Of the two awards for business, the first recognises ICT product or project innovation and service transformation by start-ups and SMMEs with a turnover of less than R10 million a year. The second is for larger companies, with turnover of more than R10 million a year, recognising their outstanding impact on service delivery of an ICT product or project to citizens.

Individuals who make a difference in the ICT sector are recognised in two categories. The first category rewards the contribution women make to the ICT industry and to professional development within it. The second rewards youth – entrants should be under 35 years and the winner will be a young ICT achiever recognised for an outstanding contribution to the industry’s growth and development. Entrants or nominees for these two categories must be prepared to be interviewed if shortlisted.

“When we select our winners, we shall be looking at their innovative contributions, their impact on our citizens and society in general and any public-service transformation,” says Dr Mohapi. “This is part of our efforts to raise the benchmark in the ICT sector and we shall be recognising and rewarding products and solutions of all sizes.”

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According to SITA, the awards build on several other agency projects including the Software Development Challenge, the Youth Development Programme and TechnoGirl.

“We are delighted to launch our ICT Public Service Delivery Awards at GovTech later this month and we feel sure the awards will immediately become as sought-after as attendance at our annual GovTech conferences,” says Dr Mohapi.

Entries can be submitted on the Govtech site before 15 October.