Data Exchange

Initiative 2: Data Exchange

The government hosts datasets containing important information on social and economic factors. Few of these datasets are connected. This inhibits the government’s ability to design and deliver targeted and efficient services.

The government will create a real-time data exchange to connect departments and securely share information. This will allow services, like grant applications and business permits, to be processed faster. Anonymised data will support the monitoring and evaluation of government programmes and services, and enable better policy-making and research. This will support smarter government decisions.

This initiative will benefit people such as Thandi. For example, when she applies for a service, the system will automatically verify her eligibility using information that is available in other government systems. This will reduce delays and errors. Thandi could also be connected to job opportunities, training, learning or skills programmes tailored to her needs.

Project 2.1: Real-Time Data Access for Operations

This project will establish a data exchange to enable real-time data access between government departments and entities for operations. This includes the development and incremental roll-out of Application Programming Interface (API) end-points across government datasets and systems, as well as the associated governance and rules of use.

Project 2.2: Bulk Data Access to Research, Monitor and Promote Evidence-Based Policy-Making

This project will provide policy-makers and researchers with access to high-quality anonymised administrative datasets that can be integrated and analysed using advanced tools, including AI. By enabling bulk data access of this anonymised data, this initiative will uncover insights into the needs of people and organisations, and monitor and evaluate how well existing services and programmes address those needs. The insights will also leverage AI to help optimise service delivery and inform evidence-based policy-making. This project will create access to these datasets in secure environments such as the National Treasury’s SDF.

Project 2.3: Personalised and Suggested Services

This project will improve access to services by providing people with suggestions about the services for which they are eligible. This will also improve the quality of services people have access to by providing the government with the data it needs to develop personalised services. For example, a person receiving a social grant could be connected to job opportunities, skills training, or healthcare services.