DPI: South Africa’s new digital backbone
As South Africa navigates a landscape defined by deep inequality and structural ambition, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has emerged as the essential "digital backbone" for 21st-century development. Much like the physical highways of the past, DPI—comprising digital identity, payment systems, and data exchange—is now the fundamental utility required to connect citizens and businesses to the modern economy.
The potential for South Africa is transformative. By leveraging the Digital Mzanzi portal, the government aims to replace fragmented systems with a "whole-of-government" approach. This "One Touch" philosophy promises to streamline services from birth registrations to pension payouts, digitising the entire "person lifecycle".
Furthermore, integrating biometric IDs with social grant systems (SASSA) can drastically reduce fraud and create direct pathways to employment for the most vulnerable. However, technology is not a silver bullet; the transition is fraught with risks. Without robust governance, digitisation can exacerbate existing divides or erode trust in public institutions. Currently, 13.6 million South Africans remain offline, and institutional fragmentation continues to stall progress.
To succeed, DPI must be treated as a nation-building instrument rather than a mere technical project. Success will be measured not by the sophistication of the software, but by its ability to protect rights and promote collective welfare. Governance is more than just a steering wheel for progress; it must be its conscience.
Daniel Makina is the managing editor of Economic Business Insights.
