The South African Revenue Services (SARS) is embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the treasury department’s drive to being efficient, scalable, consistent and digitally intelligent in their work flows. Efficiency is the top priority. Among other agencies in the executive branch, SARS is on the lookout for external technology, specifically artificial intelligence capabilities that will streamline services in the public as well as the private sectors, boost efficiency, and enhance government revenue management. The goal of SARS is to progress to becoming a “SMART Modern SARS” by 2030. This transformation requires developing an intelligent tax and customs administration platform and a broader tax ecosystem.
According to SARS, this ecosystem “depends on and embeds advanced data science and AI”. The tools it seeks will “harness the transformative power of people, data science and AI in tax administration”. The tax authority is exploring the market for an AI-driven digital twinning (cognitive decision automation) solution to integrate AI with virtual replicas of physical entities. SARS seeks details on available products, their specifications, availability, potential prices and implementation timelines. It currently uses advanced data analytics and AI “to detect tax-compliance risks, close the tax gap and improve overall compliance rates”. The agency, tasked with collecting R1.986 trillion in tax for the year to February, says its objectives include “modernising our systems to provide digital and streamlined online services”.
SARS is learning the ropes of AI, machine learning, coding, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) etc to improve its network of civil servants and tax collection. The efficiency and oversight of the treasury by the department of Finance will greatly improve. Harnessing the transformative power of South African citizens, the science of data analytics and AI the process of taxation could lead to the livelihoods of said citizens being tracked during their everyday lives. Collection and distribution of your tax returns will be carried out under the authority and directives of a non-human entity. SARS will be virtually run by an up graded AI super computer analysing the bank accounts and personal income of all South African citizens. This is what they are referring to when they upgrade their current work practices to digital and streamlines online services.
When it comes to technological upgrades and the progress of improving health care efficiency upgrading scientific research infrastructure plays a key role. South African Biopharmaceutical company Biovac and Indian supplier of vaccines across the planet, Biological E (Gavi) have signed a ground breaking technological transfer agreement to manufacture and distribute a vaccine against pneumonia across Africa.
Pneumococcal infection, which the vaccine protects against, is a cause of significant disease, being a leading cause of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sepsis. The World Health Organisation estimated that in 2005, pneumococcal infections were responsible for the death of 1.6 million children worldwide and while this has reduced significantly over time, newer and better vaccines are still needed. “This collaboration is thus a significant development for Biovac, as it enables the company to expand access to this vaccine that has been prioritised by Gavi, an alliance that makes available millions of doses of vaccines for children in developing nations. Gavi has recognised this vaccine as important for global health and as having strategic importance to address disease burden on the African continent,” Biovac said.
Curing Pneumococcal Infection could lead to a great success in curbing deadly but preventable diseases such as those mentioned above. This alliance and agreement between Biovac and Gavi will lead to upgrading South African health and research technology twofold. South Africa will become a leading centre of health care research with in Africa. It will improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of thousands across the continent. The whole purpose of upgrading medical technology and research is to improve expertise in combatting disease. Making healthcare more affordable by having the centres of research closer at hand (in this case South Africa) is also a top priority. In this way the number of child deaths is reduced possibly by two thirds or more. New hope is on the horizon if the country’s health sector plays its cards right.
The progress of technology can bring both efficiency and hope depending how it is used and by whom and if it is closely monitored and regulated.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
