Optimising the policy advice system in South Africa

The Policy Innovation Lab helps optimise South Africa's policy advice system by analysing current processes and identifying areas for improvement. By mapping out existing procedures, it gains a clearer understanding of how policy advice is generated, evaluated and implemented. The projects run under this heading highlight inefficiencies, bottlenecks and gaps in the system. Using these insights, the Policy Innovation Lab proposes targeted improvements, drawing on innovative methods and best practices from both local and international contexts.

Cataloguing AI tools for use in government

We have developed a curated catalogue of modern digital tools used in European governments to inform South African policymakers about effective AI tools that could be suitable for implementation in South Africa. This catalogue provides detailed examples of AI tools from Europe, highlighting their goals, successes, and potential for adaptation in South Africa. Additionally, it identifies potential challenges in transferring these tools to the South African context. Our approach is practical, emphasizing opportunities that are most likely to be beneficial and deployable in South Africa. The searchable catalogue will be available on the Lab's website soon.

Analysing the manifestos of South African political parties

In the midst of crucial negotiations for forming a coalition government, the policies of South Africa’s largest political parties ­– the African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party – are under the spotlight. Understanding how their policies converge and diverge on key issues is essential for both the public and the parties involved in negotiations. To shed light on these policy positions, we released this comprehensive analysis of the parties’ manifestos. This analysis aims to inform the public about the similarities and differences in the policy agendas of these political entities.

Prototyping digital tools for better policymaking

The Policy Innovation Lab develops and prototypes digital tools with the potential to improve policy advice and policy co-ordination. At present, the team is developing a tool that leverages the widespread use of WhatsApp to create a scalable and inclusive platform for citizens to report service delivery failures and thus providing information on potential service delivery interruption hotspots. The collected data will be analysed using AI to generate insights for improved service delivery and accountability. This concept creates a single platform to track potential service delivery hotspots and thus potential areas to intervene at scale. It complements current citizen-driven initiatives by creating an additional data source with which to cross-check existing sources.

A framework for digital transformation in the public sector

Digital transformation in South Africa’s public sector is a complex, multifaceted programme aimed at using technology to improve socioeconomic outcomes. We are creating a framework to fast-track digital transformation in South Africa's public sector. The framework has four dimensions: Leverage digitisation and digitalisation for positive socio-economic effects; focus on societal outcomes like eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, and eliminating unemployment, supported by better services, accountable institutions, improved education, and engaged citizens; establish effective governance and coordination mechanisms; and meet key institutional and infrastructure requirements. The full framework can be accessed here.

Deploying machine learning to identify policy overlaps

South Africa’s pursuit of sustainable development is reflected in a vast network of policies and legislation. Numerous government departments, agencies, and stakeholders contribute to this agenda, resulting in a multitude of policies addressing the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development. The sheer volume of policies and legislation makes incoherence likely. The complex web of policies also makes it challenging to determine accurately potential policy synergies and conflicts. The project uses machine learning (ML) tools to analyse publicly available South African policies and legislation related to sustainable development. By doing so, it seeks to build on and contribute to the growing body of research on using ML for improved public policy. The project seeks to go beyond existing policy databases and traditional research methods by leveraging the capabilities of ML to identify potential synergies and conflicts.

Accelerating progress towards the SDGs

We proudly host the South African network of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Goalkeepers initiative, a global collective of collaborative and diverse changemakers, including emerging and well-known leaders from around the world who represent an eclectic range of cultures, professions, and interests. As the Policy Innovation Lab, we support this community in South Africa. More information is available on the Goalkeepers microsite. Additionally, we supported the National Planning Commission in drafting South Africa's 2024 Voluntary National Review (VNR). VNRs facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. They also seek to strengthen government policies and institutions and to mobilize multi-stakeholder support and partnerships for the implementation of the SDGs.