The Minister of Communications and Digital Technology, Solly Malatsi said digital technologies hold the potential to either divide or unite South Africans. Picture: Vernon Pillay/IOL
The Minister of Communications and Digital Technology, Solly Malatsi said digital technologies hold the potential to either divide or unite South Africans.
He made these comments at the 2024 Ministerial Forum event hosted in Cape Town as the city plans to host the Africa Tech Festival.
The festival will be taking place in Cape Town from the November 12-14 at the city’s International Convention Centre.
Malatsi said that it was imperative that South Africans embrace digital transformation in a way that promotes social inclusion and leaves no one behind.
“This is what we mean by digital inclusion, ensuring that every person, irrespective of their background, geographic location, or socio-economic status, has the opportunity to access and benefit from the digital world,” he noted.
The minister said that digital technologies are an essential facilitator of social inclusion and they allow for the delivery of real-time services that enable individuals to learn, work, and live without being subject to physical or social barriers.
For many disadvantaged groups across Africa, access to these technologies remains a significant challenge, he noted.
Government must address these gaps and ensure that digital technologies become a means for empowerment, not exclusion, Malatsi advised.
This will require expanding access to digital infrastructure, enhancing skills, and ensuring that technology adoption is sustainable and inclusive, he said to delegates.
“Through the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), we have launched initiatives aimed at expanding broadband access and ensuring that every South African has the opportunity to connect to the digital world,” Malatsi said.
The minister outlined an Africa-centric transformation plan.
The strategy aims to transform Africa into a digitally connected and inclusive society.
He outlined several critical factors that must be addressed to ensure that digital inclusion becomes a reality.
These factors include:
“In addressing these factors, we are laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and equitable society, one where everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive in the digital age,” he said.
Finally, the minister said that government must attract investment to fulfil its digital plan for growth.
Malatsi said that government is committed to creating an enabling environment for investments that support the growth of the digital economy.
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