2023 Tutu Fellow Melvyn Lubega has been appointed by the South African Presidency to lead the country’s Digital Services Unit (DSU). This new capability within the presidency is to implement South Africa's National Digital Transformation Roadmap. Approved by the Cabinet earlier this year, the Presidency announced South Africa's National Digital Transformation Roadmap on 12 May 2025. 

In the Presidency's statement, it said that the South African tech entrepreneur is a globally-recognised technology pioneer, who co-founded Go1 - a platform used by businesses, non-profit organisations, and governments in more than 60 countries. Melvyn "has advised governments in Africa, Asia, and Europe on digital transformation programmes".

The vision behind the National Digital Transformation Roadmap is to modernise delivery of government services through investment in digital public infrastructure.  In their statement, the goal is for these crucial digital reforms to enable all citizens to access government services seamlessly through a single trusted platform. This will be driven through improvements in identity verification, real-time payments, and data exchange.

The intention is to leverage digital technologies to accelerate change across the South African economy and society, to close the digital divide, drive economic growth, and create sustainable jobs.  The roadmap aims to ensure universal access to the internet; to empower people with digital skills to advance society within a digital economy; to enable the productive use of digital technologies; and to create a supportive environment for digital investment and innovation. 

Melvyn is a partner at Breega, one of the fastest-growing early-stage VC funds in Europe and Africa, with over €500 million in assets under management to invest in disruptive companies that solve significant economic and social challenges.

Melvyn said on LinkedIn in response to the announcement of his new role that he sees this as an extension of his personal broader mission, which is to drive impact at scale. He says that supporting the DSU is one way that he hopes to unlock the future for South Africans by removing friction, improving access, and building rails for inclusive growth.  He said: "This isn’t just a government initiative. It’s a whole-of-our-country journey. One that calls on the energy, ideas and contributions of government, civil society, business, technologists, creatives - and above all, citizens."

A Rhodes Scholar, Melvyn Lubega earned his Masters of Public Policies and Masters of Sciences in Education, Learning, and Technologies from Oxford University, UK. Aside from his work at Breega, he serves as a board member of Endeavor, the board of governors at St. John's College, and on the board of Old Mutual.

You can read more about the Roadmap at the Department of Communications & Digital Technologies.  A website for the initiative is at MyMzansi. 

Header image: From page one of the Roadmap PDF that is on the South African government downloads site.