OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open-access peer-reviewed journal
https://doi.org/10.64211/oidaijsd190406
Digital Transformation and Change Management in the South African Public Sector
Motadi Masa Sylvester 1*, Costa Hofisi 2
1,2 Afrocentric Governance of Public Affairs (AGOPA), North-West, University, South Africa.
*Corresponding authour: mmotadi@yahoo.com
Volume 19, Issue 04, Pg. 65-80, 2026.
Abstract: This study explores the intersection of digital transformation, change management, and governance within the South African public sector, assessing how organisational capabilities and institutional structures shape the success and sustainability of digital reforms. Guided by the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030), the research systematically reviewed 28 studies published between 2020 and 2025 to identify the conditions enabling effective technology adoption, interoperability, and service improvement. Findings reveal that technological investments alone are insufficient without corresponding attention to leadership, communication, and capability building. Effective change management anchored in inclusive leadership, transparent communication, and continuous learning was found to enhance employee engagement and sustain adoption. Similarly, enterprise architecture emerged as a critical enabler of integration, interoperability, and end-to-end service reliability, while ethical governance and accountability frameworks ensured transparency, trust, and productivity gains. Conversely, fragmented systems, inadequate coordination, and digital inequality across rural and urban municipalities continue to undermine progress. The study concludes that digital transformation is a socio-technical process that requires the alignment of human, structural, and governance dimensions. It recommends institutionalising ethical leadership, national enterprise architecture, and ongoing capacity development to embed resilience and inclusion in digital service delivery. Overall, the research contributes a governance-centred model linking change management, enterprise architecture, and accountability mechanisms to sustainable public-sector productivity in South Africa.
Keywords: Digital transformation; change management; enterprise architecture; governance; interoperability; public sector; South Africa; service delivery; leadership; capability building.
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