News Articles

GovChat: SA launches project that allows citizens to WhatsApp politicans

SAnews reports on the platform that will allow members of the public to contact politically-connected officials via WhatsApp.

"South Africa has launched the world’s first citizen engagement platform that makes use of popular messenger WhatsApp.

Speaking at the launch of the GovChat Community Engagement Platform in Cape Town on Tuesday, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Deputy Minister, Andries Nel, explained that the platform is the world’s first citizen engagement platform with inbuilt communication tools on WhatsApp.

What is GovChat?

Nel said for the first time in the country’s history, citizens will be able to access over 10 000 public representatives supporting over 30 000 public facilities and services in communities nationwide. Nel said:

“The collaborative effort makes the South African government the first in the world to create a digital communication tool where government becomes instantly accessible to over 16 million people.”

Nel said in rural communities where the connection may be slower, GovChat will be available through the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel.

To find out more, visit https://www.govchat.org.za/en/."

Click here to access the full article, as sourced from SAnews on 28 September 2018. 

Photo: Pixabay

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