Developing the SAPS website for optimal service delivery

Abstract

This article discusses a study undertaken to enhance online service delivery by the South African Police Service (SAPS) by means of its website. It makes various recommendations to achieve this, following various investigations. The SAPS describes its primary goal as "service to the public". This is in line with the South African government's Batho Pele ("People first") initiative to improve the delivery of public services. However, as society is changing in response to the demands of the Internet Age, service providers (for the purpose of this study, police agencies) must, too, adjust. The application of e-Governance will enable these agencies to serve the public with a wide variety of information and services. This study makes recommendations in this regard as well. In the initial study for this work user needs regarding the establishment of the SAPS website were assessed. Subsequently a study was conducted to determine best practices in various English-speaking countries, using an evaluation framework compiled for this purpose. Based on the results gained a measuring instrument was designed to evaluate the SAPS website. Four expert evaluators were then requested to do so. The assessment of possible shortcomings of the SAPS website and recommendations for enhancing online service delivery and e-Governance by the study are set out in the article.