Kgabo Hlala, former CIO of the Department of Home Affairs, scooped the overall individual award at the eighth annual African ICT Achievers Award, held Saturday night at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Accenture and Cabling Africa were named joint overall winners for the organisational award.
ForgeAhead, in partnership with the Department of Communications, its partners and stakeholders, presented the annual awards, which recognise individuals and organisations that have made a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.
These individuals and organisations support the challenge that countries in Africa face in leveraging ICT to make a difference around the continent, organisers said. This year's awards are dubbed "Make the African Century a Reality".
"It's never been more appropriate than now for Africans to unite in building our continent into a knowledge economy, bridging the digital divide and giving our fellow Africans access to information technologies," said minister of communications Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri in her keynote speech at the ceremony.
The minister was presented with a special award "for her dedication to the proliferation of the ICT industry in SA and across the continent, as well as the promotion of the use of technology within governments for better service delivery to citizens, and her support of making use of African experts".
Jane Mosebi, MD of ForgeAhead, explained the origin of the awards: "What started as a programme to encourage black people to enter the ICT industry in SA has grown beyond our borders and has spread to the rest of Africa.
"This year, we have seen phenomenal growth in the number of nominations from individuals and organisations from the rest of the continent," she added.
The nominations are solicited from the ICT sector across the continent through various marketing channels, said ForgeAhead.
The winners
Individual awards:
* Top ICT Business Woman in Africa - Dr Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane, Sentech (SA)
* Top ICT Businessman in Africa - Mpostol Jeremia Mashinini, Odirile IT Holding (SA)
* Top ICT Youth Innovator in Africa - Nomfundo Nguse, Shesha IT Technologies (SA)
* Top Young Entrepreneur in Africa - Vinny Lingham, IncuBeta (SA)
* Top ICT Educator / Academic in Africa - Edward Popoola, Nigerian Youth ICT4D Network (Nigeria)
* Top Public Sector CIO in Africa - Kgabo Hlahla, Department of Home Affairs, SA
* Top Minister in Africa with an ICT Portfolio - Motsoahae Thomas Thabane, Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, Lesotho
* Excellence in ICT Journalism in Africa - Glory Mushinge, The Media & ICT's Network for Development (Zambia)
Organisational awards:
* Top ICT Company in Africa - arivia.kom (SA)
* Top ICT SMME in Africa - Cabling for Africa (Botswana)
* Top Public Sector Department Embracing ICT in Africa - Amathole District Municipality (SA)
* Most Innovative ICT Company in Africa - Expertron Group (SA)
* Top ICT Workplace Provider in Africa - IBM (SA)
* Top Civil Society to Bridge the Digital Divide in Africa - Translate.org.za (SA)
* Most Transformed ICT Company in Africa - Accenture (SA)
Presidential words
A letter from president Thabo Mbeki was read at the awards.
"ICT is recognised as a vital tool that can assist with the development of our country and continent. It is a field that can create substantially new forms of employment and entrepreneurship that are much needed in the country and continent.
"In this context, government has been busy putting appropriate measures in place to ensure there is universal access to ICT services at affordable costs aimed at growing the sector," Mbeki wrote.
He added that government's efforts for growth and development are focused on achieving higher rates of investment in the economy, increasing the competitiveness of the South African economy, broadening the participation in the economy, improving the capacity of the state to deliver, and contributing to a better world.
"Universal access to ICT services can now have an impact on all these areas, and has already contributed to an environment conducive for small and growing players to thrive in."
To read full letter click here.
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