DIGITAL GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENCY: LEVERAGING E-GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

Digital governance has become an increasingly important component of public administration reform because it can strengthen transparency, accountability and the traceability of government decisions. This study examines how e-government systems influence transparency and contribute to the reduction of corruption in South Africa, while also considering their relevance to sustainable development. A structured literature review was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, with publications from January 2020 to March 2026 considered alongside relevant institutional reports. The search covered digital governance, e-government, open government data, digital accountability, e-procurement, corruption and transparency. A total of 430 records were identified, 287 remained after duplicate removal, 146 proceeded to full-text assessment, and 31 studies met the final inclusion criteria. The findings show that open government data, digital service platforms and e-procurement can improve transparency by increasing the visibility, standardisation and auditability of public-sector processes. Digital systems can also reduce opportunities for bribery and rent-seeking by limiting unnecessary face-to-face contact and constraining discretionary decision-making. However, these benefits are not automatic. Weak institutional capacity, uneven digital infrastructure, limited data usability, inadequate enforcement and digital exclusion can reduce the effectiveness of technology-based anti-corruption measures. The review further indicates that corruption risks may adapt to digital environments where governance controls are weak. From a sustainable development perspective, effective digital governance can strengthen accountable and inclusive institutions, improve stewardship of public resources and support more reliable public service delivery. Bias in the evidence synthesis was mitigated through predefined selection criteria, multi-database searching, concept-based full-text assessment, two-reviewer screening and comparison of evidence across academic and institutional sources. The study concludes that e-government can make a meaningful contribution to corruption control in South Africa, but technology must be combined with institutional reform, interoperable systems, open and usable data, stronger enforcement, digital inclusion and sustained public oversight. These conditions determine whether digital transformation produces durable transparency gains rather than merely shifting existing governance weaknesses into electronic processes.