The innovative and effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by developing world governments has proven to be an effective means of increasing government transparency and accountability, while simultaneously bringing access to government structures and democratic processes to each and every citizen, irrespective of geographic location and socio-economic conditions.

The general consensus exists among organs of civil society and non-governmental organisations in South Africa that the effective use of ICT by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) helped ensure the constitutional stipulation that every election in the country be based on a national voters roll. However, the benefits of establishing a voters, roll for national and by-elections is only the first of many that the effective use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology has to deliver. The Electoral Steering Commission, in conjunction with the Department of Land Affairs and Statistics SA, undertook to develop a continuous geographical data set for the country. The resulting data sets from the various project teams were combined and the different spatial entities aligned in a geographical information system (GIS). Final delivery to the IEC of the data set took place in early June 1998. While monitoring and co-ordinating the efforts of the project teams, the IEC at the same time developed an automated software application for the electronic and geographic delimitation of the country into a number of voting districts, using enumerator areas and their population statistics as building blocks.

Throughout the national election process, call centre technology was also effectively used. The internal call centre handled queries and follow-up calls to the various municipalities enabling the IEC to keep a finger on the pulse of the activities at the municipal level and to assist immediately when a problem arose. The call centre provided support to both Local Electoral Officers (LEOs) and the public. During the registration weekends, 26 000 calls from the public were handled by the call centre. In supporting the LEOs, a further 20 000 calls were handled by the unit. At the same time, a national 0800 public information call centre operated independently providing South African citizens with where to register details. A GIS application was developed to help desk operators in pinpointing the exact location of a voting station for registration purposes by referencing the municipality name, suburb and cross-streets as supplied by the voter. Recognising low literacy levels (and other information access problems in South Africa), this facility assisted the voter in identifying the voting station within his/her voting district by merely making a toll-free call. This illustrates an effective use and combining of appropriate technologies to address the realities faced on the grass-roots level, without merely introducing technology for technology's sake.

The GIS databases were utilised for the creation of a multitude of spatial management reports required for election planning, logistics, registration, results and processes. One of the post-election uses was to create an electoral atlas of the nation that includes demographic analyses of the Elections '99 results. The geographical database as compiled for and during the delimitation process is a national asset as it can be utilised by various state departments and private organisations for spatial planning. For example, the GIS can be used to spatially determine the best location for a clinic based on the proximity of young children and people over 60 years of age in a particular area. This provides a great source of development and planning information for organisations working in the field and in helping these organisations identify the communities that most require their services and they are equipped to best help.

It was therefore fitting that the IEC was honoured with the prestigious 2000 Computerworld Smithsonian Award in the Government and non-profit organisations category for innovative applications of information technology that benefit society. In making this award, special mention was made of the innovative use of GIS systems by the IEC.

For further comments we suggest contacting:

• Joel D. Barkan -- Joel-Barkan@uiowa.edu
  Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa and Senior Consultant on Governance at the World Bank.
  Prof Barkan presented a talk entitled Designing Electoral Systems for New Democracies: Experiments in Kenya and South Africa which demonstrated that the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology improves electoral process in new democracies. He has further written extensively on democratization and electoral processes in sub-Saharan Africa. He has been awarded fellowships for his research on early elections from the United States Institute of Peace (1997-98) and from the Woodrow Wilson International Center (2001-2002).
   
• Ms Dren Nupen dnupen@eisa.org.za
  Executive Director of the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa. Ms Nupen has been the Director of EISA since its inception in 1996. Ms Nupen has been working in the area of elections and electoral practice, as a consultant and practitioner, since the mid-1980s. She has been a consultant to various SADC Electoral Commissions, as well as the South African Electoral Commission on issues related to electoral practice, and constitutional and legislative provisions. Under Ms Nupen's directorship, EISA has established and facilitated various projects, including the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries and the NGO Network for Electoral Support in Southern Africa (NGONESSA).
   
• Emmanuel Njenga -- africa.rights@sn.apc.org
  Project Manager APC Africa Internet Rights
  Heather Ford -- heather@sn.apc.org
  Co-ordinator APC Africa Internet Rights
  Heather Ford formerly worked at the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa and would undoubtedly have some interesting comments to make on the use of ICT by the IEC. Emmanuel Njenga and Heather Ford are involved in the African ICT Policy Monitor initiative of the Association for Progressive Communications.
   
• Richard Calland Richard@idasacity.org.za
  Executive member of the Open Democracy Advisory Centre Joint project being run with the Institute for Democracy in Southern Africa (IDASA). Commentary on the social justice implications of access to information and the use of technology.