Speech by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Honourable Prof. Hlengiwe Mkhize
During the Occasion of
Sedibeng Region, Ruth First Branch Gala Dinner
At Riviera Hotel, Vereeniging
29 July 2016

INTRODUCTION

Programme director allow me to start by applauding the executive team from Sedibeng Region and Ruth First Branch for the successful organisation of this event. This couldn’t have come at a better time as we are just a few days away from our local government elections. What is left of us is consolidation as we run the last lap of this marathon we are engaged in.

SOUTH AFRICA’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
In South Africa, labour productivity has trended down since 2011. Structural reforms are much needed to boost productivity and employment to raise incomes and living standards. As government through our regulatory structures, we need to ensure more market competition, in particular in the network sectors, strengthening the management and investments of state-owned enterprises, encouraging the development of SMEs. This will measures will boost productivity and economic inclusion.
Statistics South Africa released Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) for the first quarter of 2016 on the 04 July 2016. This report revealed that employment in the formal sector of the South African economy decreased by 0,2% i.e. by 15 000 employees to 9 273 000 in the first quarter of 2016, this is in comparison with the previous quarter (4th quarter, 2015).

According to the report the country realized a decrease in employment in all industries except for community services, construction, and electricity. This picture calls for a change in thinking, discovery of new opportunities in new-fangled sectors like the ICT sector, a stronger move towards being innovative and coming up with new ideas.
I am giving this picture to remind you that as a country we are continuously faced with the triple challenge of, poverty, joblessness and inequality. This scourge continues to be a reality our people in deep rural areas. Through the effective use of enablers such as Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) this scourge can be wiped out completely. Our government recognises the ICT sector as an enabler because of its crosscutting nature.

THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

In realising that our country needed a major structural change government developed the National Development Plan (NDP). This is the country’s Vision 2030 and its long term view is that ICT will underpin the development of a dynamic information society and a more inclusive prosperous knowledge-based economy. This means that seamless infrastructure will meet the needs of citizens, business and public sector, providing a wide range of services required for effective economic and social participation. The NDP further identifies ICT as an enabler, such that it contributes to service delivery, support analysis, build intelligence and create new ways to share, learn and build social capital. Seeing the importance of ICT in advancing the country’s economy, the department has the developed a policy specific to broadband rollout. Before this could be done we obviously had to audit what we had and what we needed.

SOUTH AFRICA CONNECT POLICY
We believe that our SA Connect Policy and Strategy will help the country with substantial growth in access to ICTs and their use, particularly mobile phones and the Internet. The goal of increased access to ICTs and use depends largely on our Broadband Plan Programme.
Our targets, as set out in the National Development Plan are to achieve 100% broadband penetration by 2020 as well as transforming 70% of all front-line service to e-Service by 2019. This is a great opportunity for the private sector and institutions of higher learning to cement partnerships for improved outcomes which positively impacts people’s quality of life.

South Africa Connect Policy seeks to address the digital divides between those with resources and capabilities to access and optimally use the full range of broadband services and those who are marginalised. The policy has a good strategic framework in place that will lead to the sustainable usage and sustainable access by 2020. These broadband strategies encompass both “supply and demand” side initiatives. These approaches will ensure that the country achieve the 5A’s objectives (Availability of broadband network, Awareness, Accessibility of broadband at a national level, Affordability and Ability to use the application).

Since the approval of the policy and strategy, the department has made strides in changing the ICT landscape. We have completed the National ICT Policy Review processes and we are now focusing on the legislative processes.

THE DEPARTMENT’S INVESTMENT IN THE EXPANSION OF WI-FI HOTSPOTS
In order to increase access to a once scarce resource, the Internet, the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services has allocated about R40 million to six (6) Metropolitan Municipalities whereby about 230 sites will be connected to Wi-Fi. The targeted facilities to be connected are schools, clinics, police stations and government buildings. This is not just connectivity for its own sake but it should encourage economic activity. We also believe that the move will assist us in realising our goals of universal service access thereby closing the digital divide.

THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA
With all the endeavours which government is making to improve the lives of our citizens, the future will not be the same. As we are currently getting people online the way of offering services will definitely change. We are more and more leaning towards providing every service virtually. This will be through e-government.

E-Government
Great strides have been made to use e-government to simplify government procedures, improve access to information by citizens, and improve service delivery, as well as strengthening accountability and transparency. Increasing the efficiency and transparency of the public sector through the wide take-up of ICT will change the way the public administration functions thus improving the availability and quality of public services and increasing opportunities for ordinary citizens to participate in decision-making processes.

The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) is working in collaboration with the Department of the Public Service and Administration (DPSA), SITA and Front Line Departments for the e-enablement of the prioritised 5 services in line with the MTSF.

• e-Education: In collaboration with the Department of Basic Education to establish an electronic knowledge testing system for feedback into training and support for teachers.
• e-Justice: Progress has been made in the implementation of an integrated electronic Criminal Justice System (CJS) to provide accurate and timely management of criminal and justice information.
• e-Health: Development of a complete system design for a National Integrated Patient Based Information System.
• e-Justice: Collaborating with the CJS to implement an electronic case management system as well as the establishment of computer-generated investigation progress report to complainants and victims of crime.
• e-Policing: Combating cyber-crime through training of personnel in cyber-crime.

CONCLUSION
In order to propel our economy to greater heights, we need more skilled people in our rural communities. This will ensure that through interventions such as the creation of innovation hubs, develop industrial and manufacturing capabilities. Once the end-user gadgets are manufactured locally they will ultimately drive down the cost of acquiring a device in these communities. The Post Office of tomorrow should no longer be run by a man on the bicycle but it should be digital whereby their service offering will include computer devices, internet services and financial services.
In rural areas, ICTs can raise incomes by increasing productivity in sectors such as agriculture and crafts as well as introducing new income channels. Wider access to and use of ICTs throughout a country will reduce income inequalities and consequently, the quality of life between rural and urban residents.

The prioritization of rural areas is so that online services such as e-commerce can be unlocked. Mobile internet access services can enable better access to markets and other value-chain stakeholders. E-commerce presents a number of opportunities for small businesses in rural areas. E-commerce has the ability to become a field-leveler providing as many opportunities for SMMEs in rural areas as in urban areas. Since all internet sites co-exist, small businesses have access to just as much internet space as do large multinational companies.

I thank you!