The communications ministry will announce the members of the Presidential Commission on the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) on Thursday.
This was confirmed by communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, delivering the keynote address at the pre-launch event of the State IT Agency's (SITA's) GovTech and National Development Plan 2030 (NDP2030) hackathon.
The commission was first announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa during last year's State of the Nation Address, and this year he said plans were progressing to appoint its members.
Ramaphosa's administration is looking to the ICT-focused commission to coordinate the development of SA's national response through a comprehensive action plan to deal with the 4IR. Further, it aims to ensure the country effectively harnesses rapid advances in ICT for inclusive growth and social development.
The commission is expected to comprise representatives of a cross-section of stakeholders, including the public sector, business, academia and research institutions, experts, labour, SMMEs, youth, women and non-governmental organisations.
Noting the delay in announcing the members, Ndabeni-Abrahams said those that have been appointed were gazetted today. "We had to undergo security clearance for all those that were short-listed, and we will be presenting them on Thursday."
She added: "We're living in the world of 4IR; it's not a train that is still coming. We [government] can never deliver effective 4IR and lead it if it has not undergone proper digital transformation."
GovTech returns
Last year, SITA did not host its annual GovTech conference, in order to make way for 2018 International Telecommunication Union Telecom World, which was hosted in SA for the first time.
Acting SITA CEO Nthuthule Tshenye said this year's GovTech and NDP2030 hackathon will take place in Durban in October.
SITA introduced its NDP2030 hackathon last year as a way to leverage ICT to solve socio-economic issues identified in the NDP. Unveiled in 2012, the NDP is a government action plan to eliminate poverty, reduce inequality and grow an inclusive economy by the year 2030.
Seadimo Chaba, board member and chairperson for research, development and innovation committee at SITA, highlighted the agency is working towards delivering the 13th GovTech event later this year, so that it meets the mandate it has been created for.
"We all need to work together, working towards the GovTech we will deliver in October. As the government IT stakeholder, we need to do everything to accelerate digital and economic transformation of the country. The hackathon helps develop skills needed and GovTech is the platform to integrate ideas and make them work."
South Africa longs to be mentioned in the same breath as tech-driven countries like Rwanda, said Chaba. "South Africa should be second to none in terms of technology development."
Ndabeni-Abrahams declared the NDP2030 hackathon and roadmap to GovTech open.
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