Open source software deployment in the public sector: a review of Botswana and South Africa

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to review use of open source software in the public sector in Botswana and South Africa. South Africa is Botswana's neighbor and both countries are leading economies in Africa. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on a survey that was carried out in information communication technology (ICT)-intensive government ministries in Botswana in May 2008. The study sought to establish availability of policy framework, level of usage of open source software, government support, motivations for implementing open source software in government, availability of skills, attitude of it managers in government toward open source software and challenges of open source software deployment in the public sector. The population of the study consisted of information technology (IT) managers who were purposively selected from ICT-intensive government ministries and interviewed. The study was extended to cover South Africa through review of literature on the same issues as those studied in Botswana. Findings - Compared with other countries in developed and developing countries including South Africa, there is limited use of open source software in the public sector in Botswana. However, IT managers in government of Botswana demonstrate a positive attitude toward open source software, and seem to have adequate understanding of its potential benefits. Comparatively, South African government provides support for harnessing open source software; awareness among top government officials is high and attitude toward open source software seems positive; skills are generally available and hardly any challenges of using open source software were identified. Research limitations/implications - This study was limited to purposively selected government ministries which are ICT-intensive in Botswana, while for South Africa, the study was based on secondary sources of data and focused on deployment of open source software in government agencies. Practical implications - Despite the increasing deployment of open source software in government across the world, the Botswanan government is yet unlikely to put in place an enabling open source software policy to harness the potential of the Software. Originality/value - Open source software deployment in government across the world is gaining momentum purportedly to enhance universal access, reduce costs associated with commercial software bridge the digital divide, grow indigenous IT skills, etc. Botswana and South Africa are the economic frontline states in Africa, and their leadership role in this matter among counterparts on the African continent is pertinent.