South Africa Launches MzansiXchange: Secure Data Exchange

Published Date : 11/5/2025 

South Africa's National Treasury is leading a year-long pilot for MzansiXchange, a data exchange platform modeled after Estonia's X-Road. This initiative aims to enhance evidence-based policy making and real-time data verification between government institutions. 

South Africa’s National Treasury is spearheading a year-long pilot for a data exchange platform called MzansiXchange. This platform is a key component of the country’s MyMzansi digital public infrastructure (DPI) roadmap, which is currently being implemented.

The government believes that the trial of MzansiXchange, built with Estonia’s X-Road foundational technology, will significantly improve evidence-based policy making and real-time data verification between government institutions. According to an official announcement, the platform is expected to streamline data management and enhance public trust in government systems.

The data exchange platform will be trialed for one year, after which considerations will be made for a full nationwide rollout. Launched in May, the MyMzansi DPI roadmap aims to fully transform South Africa into a digitally advanced country by 2030. The data exchange system is one of the three core DPI components outlined in the roadmap, which specifies the implementation timeline and expected benefits.

Speaking about the MzansiXchange pilot, Dr. Duncan Pieterse, the Director General of the National Treasury, emphasized the need to address traditional challenges in government data management. He noted that a fragmented system has constrained the ability to make evidence-based decisions, deliver integrated services, allocate resources efficiently, and build public trust in government systems.

Dr. Pieterse explained that MzansiXchange addresses these gaps by enabling secure, structured, and coordinated data sharing across government. “It is not a central data repository. Instead, it acts as a secure bridge – a structured and governed exchange that allows departments to retain ownership of their data, while sharing their data with other authorized entities when needed,” he stated.

This approach balances departmental data sovereignty with secure, cross-government data sharing through a structured and governed framework. Dr. Pieterse further highlighted the importance of collaboration and commitment to the success of MzansiXchange. “It is a national commitment to harnessing data for the public good. The success of MzansiXchange depends on how each of us commits to supporting and using it. Ensuring that all departments work towards integrating and fully leveraging its potential,” he added.

The government has outlined a framework to guide the full operationalization of MzansiXchange, which is designed around four pillars. The first pillar focuses on data sharing for regulation, compliance, and verification. The second pillar addresses data sharing for evidence-based policy, planning, and research. The third pillar is dedicated to analytics, while the fourth pillar deals with open data sharing.

These pillars aim to create a robust and efficient data exchange system that enhances the overall effectiveness and transparency of government operations. The MzansiXchange pilot is a significant step towards achieving the goals set out in the MyMzansi DPI roadmap and transforming South Africa’s public service delivery culture. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is MzansiXchange?

A: MzansiXchange is a data exchange platform being piloted by South Africa’s National Treasury. It is built on Estonia’s X-Road technology and aims to improve evidence-based policy making and real-time data verification between government institutions.

Q: How does MzansiXchange work?

A: MzansiXchange acts as a secure bridge for data sharing between government departments. It does not store data but facilitates structured and governed data exchange, ensuring departments retain ownership of their data.

Q: What are the four pillars of MzansiXchange?

A: The four pillars of MzansiXchange are: 1) data sharing for regulation, compliance, and verification; 2) data sharing for evidence-based policy, planning, and research; 3) analytics; and 4) open data sharing.

Q: What is the MyMzansi DPI roadmap?

A: The MyMzansi DPI roadmap is a strategic plan launched in May to fully transform South Africa into a digitally advanced country by 2030. It outlines the timeline and benefits of implementing core digital public infrastructure components, including the data exchange platform.

Q: How long will the MzansiXchange pilot run?

A: The MzansiXchange pilot will run for one year, after which considerations will be made for a full nationwide rollout. 

More Related Topics :