The Department of Inland Revenue needs to keep records on millions of tax payers, both individual and corporate. It also needs to calculate the tax each has to pay and send out tax assessments. Sophisticated computer systems manage these tasks. SARS has a website that a taxpayer can register on and submit returns electronically by filling in the return online and authorising payment directly from their bank account.

National economical and social planning require that governments have a good idea of the number of people in the country and in each region. They need to know income and health levels and size of families. They also need to know the skills and educational levels of different sections of the population.

This information is obtained by means of a national census. Part of this involves people filling in census forms and these being collected and checked by census officials. In other cases, figures are obtained by indirect methods such as aerial photographs. In all cases the data has to be analysed to produce summaries that planners can use. This task can only be done by specialised software designed for the purpose.

Other organisations also collect data for specific research purposes. For example, the Medical Research Council will conduct research to determine the prevalence of aids. This research relies on sophisticated statistical software to analyse the data.

Every vehicle has a unique registration number. This number, together with the vehicle and owner details is kept in a central database. This database can be accessed not only by the municipal officials, but also by other interested parties such as the police.

In order to vote, a person must be recorded on the voting register. This register of voters contains millions of records. Records need to be changed, deleted and added on a regular basis. Because of the sheer volume, it would be difficult to maintain in any other way than a computerised system.

This is a system that is being introduced which will allow voters to register their choice online to submit their ballot instead of the traditional method of marking a piece of paper with a pen.

The Department of Home Affairs keeps records of all the citizens in a country. It keeps records of births, marriages and deaths. It also issues identity documents and passports. All this is only possible through the use of computerised systems.