The potential of mobile phones for increasing public participation in  local government in South Africa

Thinyane, Hannah; Siebörger, Ingrid; Reynell, Edward

doi:10.4102/td.v11i3.65

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(7 reference statements)

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“…Such initiatives provide citizens with the opportunity to participate in government processes, through digital communications of noticed service delivery failures (Thinyane & Coulson, 2012). Furthermore, where such collated data is autonomously managed (by parties independent of government influence), it can be accessed to support evidence based advocacy and engagement by citizens, where the need arises for government to provide explanations and justifications for their fiscal related decisions (Thinyane, 2013). Importantly, citizen engagement will only yield results where there is buy‐in from all concerned stakeholders (government representatives, civil society and citizens) (Richards et al, 2004; Usadolo & Caldwel, 2016).…”

Section: Citizen Engagement and Strategy Formulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing strategy formulation in the midst of uncertainty in digital citizen engagement: A critical reflection of the application of Design Science Research augmented by Soft Systems Methodology to the design of strategy formulation

Joshua

Pade-Khene

2022

E J Info Sys Dev Countries

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This manuscript details a critical reflection on how Design Science Research (DSR) was applied to the guided development and implementation of a strategy formulation process for a civic tech project called MobiSAM, which was executed in a marginalized local government context. It also demonstrates how the application of DSR is augmented by Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), to ensure that the unstructured properties typically present in multi-stakeholder deliberation (required in civic tech project strategizing) are accounted for in the strategy formulation exercise. To underpin this critical reflection on the emergence and application of the civic tech project strategy framework (the artifact), pragmatist interpretivism is employed. This qualitative paradigm underpinning the critical reflection supports better understanding of strategy related challenges primarily through participant observation and interviews with actors in the civic tech context. The findings reveal that for an unstructured problem like civic tech project strategizing, SSM is particularly instrumental to the application of four DSR guidelines, namely-problem relevance, design evaluation, research contribution and communication of DSR.

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Section: Citizen Engagement and Strategy Formulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing strategy formulation in the midst of uncertainty in digital citizen engagement: A critical reflection of the application of Design Science Research augmented by Soft Systems Methodology to the design of strategy formulation

Joshua

Pade-Khene

2022

E J Info Sys Dev Countries

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“…39 The documents analyzed highlight the fact that the decision-making stage of public policy reform partly eludes two of the health system actors solicited in m-participation processes: health workers and health system users. Indeed, the participatory processes described in the thirty-six documents (n=36), solicit citizen m-participation in the process formulation phase, 12,25,27,29,43,[46][47][48]55 in its implementation phase, 21,23,45,49,54,57,58,61 or in its monitoring and evaluation of the participatory process 14,16,17,24,40,44,56,59 prior to transfer of evidence to policy makers. There is no mention of inclusion in the adoption or non-adoption of the final decision or its amendment prior to implementation.…”

Section: Moments and Steps Of M-participation: The When Dimensionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12,14,16,22,24,25,29,39,40,43,44,[51][52][53]58 Lechat et al demonstrate the technological and instrumental relevance of the telephone in the Burkinabe context (strong geographical disparities in health infrastructures, predominantly rural population) for collecting the opinions of users and health workers.52 3. Collecting opinions: the third objective is the implementation of a participatory mechanism to collect citizens' perceptions on the advantage of resorting to health m-participation 28,30,…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Telephones in public health policy processes in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

Ouedraogo¹,

Biau

Bonnet

et al. 2021

Journal of Global Health Reports

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BackgroundThe telephone is being put to work in the quest for universal health coverage in sub-Saharan Africa. Multiple mobile health pilot projects are being deployed. The use of mobile technologies including citizens in the formulation, analysis, and revision of public health policies in sub-Saharan Africa is recent. This citizen m-participation could influence the democratic engagement of citizens and leaders in the planning, budgeting, and transparency of local governance processes of health systems. MethodsWe conducted a scoping review. A total of 995 papers were initially identified, 37 documents were finally included in the final synthesis after a review of the abstract and full text by two researchers. ResultsDespite multiple challenges, the social, technological, and instrumental feasibility of citizen m-participation in health decision-making processes is real. The documents highlight the contribution of m-Citizen Participation to the ongoing construction of a robust health democracy. However, government commitment and leadership for this innovation remain weak. This slows down the processes of inclusion and empowerment of patients on their health needs. ConclusionsEvidence suggests that citizen m-participation is relevant to the inclusion of citizens in health decision-making processes. However, research is limited. We recommend participatory action research mechanisms focused on citizen inclusion in health decision-making processes in sub-Saharan Africa to expand the knowledge base on this innovation.

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“…The respondents also suggested that the application should include Xhosa and other local languages. 32…”

Section: Cases Of Mobile Government At South African Municipalitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A case for ethical frameworks to enhance mobile government implementation at South African municipalities

Makwembere

Garidzirai

2021

The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa

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Interest in mobile government is growing globally. Mobile government refers to the use of wireless and mobile technologies to deliver services to citizens, businesses, employees and other government entities. Presently, technological advancements take place despite questions on whether the existing policy and regulatory frameworks are suitable to regulate the effects of mobile government. With mobile government, municipal operations take place in virtual spaces where the consequences of such are still largely unknown and the frameworks that are apt to minimise any long-term effects on society are yet to be defined. This conceptual paper suggests that ethics frameworks should be encouraged as part of mobile government implementation in municipalities to encourage reflective municipal practices and to improve judgement as well as behaviour in mobile government decision-making. It contributes to debates on approaches to comprehensively support and guide mobile government towards positive municipal service delivery outcomes.

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The potential of mobile phones for increasing public participation in local government in South Africa

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Designing strategy formulation in the midst of uncertainty in digital citizen engagement: A critical reflection of the application of Design Science Research augmented by Soft Systems Methodology to the design of strategy formulation

Designing strategy formulation in the midst of uncertainty in digital citizen engagement: A critical reflection of the application of Design Science Research augmented by Soft Systems Methodology to the design of strategy formulation

Telephones in public health policy processes in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

A case for ethical frameworks to enhance mobile government implementation at South African municipalities

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