Advisory Council recommends accelerated efforts to establish South Africa as an
advanced information-based society
3 September 2006
The sixth meeting of the Presidential International Advisory Council (PIAC),
which took place from 2-3 September 2006 at Pestana Kruger Lodge in Mpumalanga
province, ended today. The issues discussed at the meeting were e-skills
development, telecommunications market structure and digital migration.
On e-skills development, the shortage of skills in ICT continues to be a
challenge. The South African Government is already implementing a number of
programmes and initiatives aimed at addressing these challenges. Government
must design a two-to-three-year skills development programme to meet the ICT
skills demands of the country, and in this regard should take into account
local as well as global imperatives.
The Advisory Council indicated that although South Africa has a diverse and
dynamic telecommunications market structure with world-class technology,
especially in mobile telephony, many untapped opportunities still existed in
rural and densely populated urban areas, which could contribute to faster
growth of the economy. The Council focused on the opportunities and challenges
in specific segments of the telecommunications market to ensure access and
affordability for all end users. As cost is a key factor to expanding rural
connectivity, the PIAC discussed ways of reducing the cost to communicate by
increasing broadband access. Government, service providers and operators need
to look into innovative approaches to expand connectivity in rural areas.
The recently signed Protocol on the Policy and Regulatory Framework for the
Development and Operation of the New Partnership for Africaâs Development
(NEPAD) ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa,
will contribute to improved international broadband access, while lowering the
cost of broadband services.
Commenting on the initial thinking of the Minister of Communications on
digital broadcasting migration in South Africa, the Council thought that she
was moving in the right direction. The initial thinking includes a quick and
deliberate phasing out of analogue broadcasting services between 2008 and
2010.
It was agreed that there would be a review session every six months to look
at the implementation of decisions of the Council and that the process should
be replicated at local level to involve their local as well as South African
ICT companies on a continuous basis. In his closing remarks and referring to
the report of the Presidential National Commission on the Information Society
and Development (PNC on ISAD), the President said that in order âTo establish
South Africa as an advanced information-based society in which information and
ICT tools are key drivers of economic and societal development,â was a need to
rally all of government and to move with speed.
For media enquiries:
Albi Miodise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Mukoni Ratshitanga
Cell: 082 300 3447
Issued by: Presidential ICT Advisory Council
3 September 2006
