Department of communications to get a new name after elections

Speaking about the role she will be playing in the much-talked-about fourth industrial revolution (4IR), Minister of Communications Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams let it slip that her department will be getting a new name after the elections.

The department of communications will become the department of digital economy before the first half of 2019 is up.

Ndabeni-Abrahams appeared briefly at a panel discussion at Braamfontein’s Tshimolong Precinct to unpack the next steps in the lead-up to the country’s Digital Economy Summit in June. She was joined by Telkom’s group chief executive officer Sipho Maseko, vice-chancellor (VC) of Wits Adam Habib, VC of the University of Johannesburg Tshilidzi Marwala and Sakhele Buhlungu, VC at the University of Fort Hare.

Answering a series of questions from the floor, Ndabeni-Abrahams gave an overview of just how many spheres of society and government would be affected by the next stage of the digital revolution.

“There’s a need for a curriculum review in South Africa so that it starts at early childhood development. As you go home, you’ll find your children playing games which proves that they don’t want to be fed theory, they want to solve problems… that’s critical thinking that we are talking about,” the minister said.

She went on to speak about how the onus to usher in the next step of the digital revolution and democratize access to technology cannot only be on the department of communications.

“As much as our president says ‘yes, lead,’ we need our entire government to undergo the transformation process,” said Ndabeni-Abrahams.

The department’s new name seems to be both an indication of this transformation process and the government’s commitment to creating a strategy to equip the nation for 4IR, beyond using the concept as an election buzzword.

Ndabeni-Abrahams hinted at another part of this transformation when she skirted over the fact that her department plans on dismantling a lesser-known State Owned Entity called Usaasa.

Usaasa is the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa – an SOE established through the Electronic Communications Act, No 36 of 2005, aimed at bridging the digital divide across all genders, age groups, locations and social backgrounds.

However, it should be noted that the plan to dissolve Usaasa is not new.

Under the leadership of Siyabonga Cwela, the department of communications announced its intentions to do so as far back as 2017.

The decision came after the SOE failed to meet its broadband roll-out and digital migration targets.

According to Tech Financials, the agency spent years fending off allegations of serious maladministration and unlawful conduct and expenditure.

And that is where the Fourth Industrial Partnership for SA (4IRSA, pronounced ‘firsa’) comes in.

Described by Telkom’s Sipho Maseko as perhaps “the most important collaboration between the government, public institutions and the private sector in South Africa,” 4IRSA is an initiative founded by various stakeholders to help the nation develop and effectively implement a strategy that makes the nation 4IR ready.

“4IRSA is an initiative driven by some of the country’s leading academic and research institutions. It was founded by the universities of Wits, Johannesburg and Fort Hare with support from Telkom,” reads part of a statement.

Deloitte has since been incorporated as a knowledge partner and as 4IRSA grows, it plans to include stakeholders from government, labour, business and civil society, and more researchers.

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