As the general elections draw closer, political parties have hit the campaign trail, with the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) featuring numerous technology projects in their manifestos as they look to attract voters.
Parties will go to battle at the polls on 7 May and, while some plans are short on detail of how they will be implemented, technology was mentioned as a catalyst to improving some national ministries.
The ruling ANC party; the official opposition, the DA; and newcomer EFF are the only parties to have released their election plans so far.
The DA unveiled its manifesto in Polokwane yesterday, focusing on job creation and economic growth.
The manifesto says the party will look to:
* Strengthen the capacity of the Technology Innovation Agency "to provide financial and non-financial support for the development and commercialisation of knowledge-based services and products".
* Build a competitive ICT sector by granting operating licences to additional fixed-line operators, with the aim of bringing down prices and improving service delivery for consumers.
* Establish a new regulatory framework for the ICT sector to improve broadband capacity and lower prices in order to expand access.
* Support the private sector in improving ICT access and use government resources to target under-serviced areas.
* Use IT in healthcare by improving the system of buying and distributing medicines. "Patients should be able to collect medicines from any accredited pharmacy or premises, making collection more convenient and less time-consuming," says the DA.
* Use technology in crime-fighting by creating a system which ensures "real-time information on crime, criminals and suspected criminals is available where it is needed". The party also promises to introduce "handheld consoles linked to police stations through which officers can update crimes reported and arrests made in real-time".
* Expand electronic monitoring of probationers and parolees.
Julius Malema's EFF will contest its first elections and the party's manifesto placed emphasis on technology innovation.
The EFF aims to:
* Invest in and subsidise science and technology innovation.
* Support and subsidise programmes which will "lead to the development and manufacturing of a South African car, computer, tablet, phone and other means of world-class technological innovations".
* Build a specified technology university or institute which will focus on innovation.
* Use existing infrastructure to provide "high-speed and quality broadband to all schools and all institutions of higher learning" across SA.
* Investigate the possibility of the best cost-effective tablets and laptops to be used by school pupils.
The EFF and DA launches followed the ANC's manifesto, which was unveiled last month and focuses on the ruling party's achievements since coming to power in 1994.
Among its list of promises for the next five years, the ANC aims to:
* Invest in science and technology projects, including the construction phase of the Square Kilometre Array.
* Fund school and university science innovation programmes "with special emphasis on new ideas that address the real problems of the economy and society".
* Develop Further Education and Training college-based mathematics and science programmes to increase the number of learners pursuing careers in science and technology.
* Encourage e-learning by introducing mobile devices like tablets into schools to distribute learning content.
* Accelerate the rollout of its ICT infrastructure programmes, which aim to "impact fundamentally" on citizens' connectivity.
* The party also aims to expand broadband access throughout SA and reduce the communication costs, and says it will connect "all schools, public health and other government facilities through broadband by 2020". At least 90% of communities should also be connected by then, the ANC says.
* The party notes it will "support and develop free WiFi areas in cities, towns and rural areas".
The Inkatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front Plus, Agang SA and the Congress of the People have yet to unveil their manifestos, which will clarify what the parties want to achieve, should they win the elections.
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