"Technologies for transformation and greater stake-holding"
I would like to extend my warm greetings to the Director-General of the Department of Communications, Mamodupi Mohlala
Representatives of foreign business delegations
Chairpersons and chief executive officers of state owned enterprises Leaders of business, thinkers and scholars from the academia
Ladies and gentlemen
Master of ceremonies,
I was informed that this Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Standards symposium generated not only great interest, passion, but also heated debate as to which our preferred broadcasting standard of choice should be, as we migrate from analogue to digital.
This is understandably so, because broadcasting digital migration presents huge economic, technological, social, cultural, and political opportunities for our country and people. The interest, excitement, and contestation that come with the transformation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) brought about by digital technology would usher in a new era of competitiveness, technological innovation, entrepreneurship and above all a greater stake holding in the industry for historically disadvantaged communities.
Transformation of any kind is always robust, competitive, and it brings into sharp divergence and convergence varies perspectives and stake holding. Technology is not neutral or based on one singular technical platform. It comes to us in multiple technological platforms and gives us choices.
But these multiple technological platforms like in the case of broadcasting DTT standards is in itself a demonstration of humanity's technical prowess, inventiveness, and ongoing drive to bring to our world multiple new opportunities. New technologies also bring into sharp focus globalisation and the efforts by different countries to bring their home grown technologies to the world market place.
I have a vision that as our country and people develop our technological capabilities, we would reach a point where we will not only adopt and adapt new technologies but will also produce home grown technologies for local consumption and world markets.
We are a development state and creating a developmental and creative mindset in our people should be on top of our national agenda. We need to create conducive conditions for the growth and flourishing of a dynamic culture of inventiveness and innovation in the broader base of our society.
I am sure that this DTT Standards Symposium would produce the kind of outcomes which will continue to put our country on a technological growth path of innovation and entrepreneurship. It is in our best national interest, for the greater good of the collective, that we find the best common solutions to bring the world of ICTs to all our people, even in the remotest regions of our country.
But above all, we should become stakeholders of our ICT landscape. We need to step up our game to strengthen the beneficiation of our local resources. It is only when we add real value by exploiting our natural resources that we would be able to boost intrinsic job creation. And here I want to stress that our greatest natural resource is the ingenuity of our people.
After all, we are hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup therefore we should sharpen our goal scoring opportunities. I wish the symposium all the success in its deliberations, reflections, synergistic and collective decisions.
Issued by: Department of Communications
29 April 2010
Source: Department of Communications (https://www.doc.gov.za/)
