We are at the cusp of human advancement where research, development and innovation as well as information technology (ICT) are at the forefront of global economic growth.
Any simple desktop study will reveal that over the last two decades new technology investments, high technology industries and extremely skilled labour have been key catalysts for the emergence of new knowledge-based economic sectors and have contributed immensely to economic upliftment surpassing traditional resource-based industries.
According to the World Bank Institute, a knowledge economy creates, disseminates and uses knowledge to enhance its growth and development. What fascinates me are the vast opportunities it presents for this province owing to what Kandathil K Jacobus describes as its ability to transform data as raw material – through the use of technology, analysis tools and human intelligence – into valuable knowledge and expertise.
The Eastern Cape has through the ages been known as a labour source for the so called golden triangle provinces – Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
But the advent of the knowledge-based economies through the promotion of knowledge, innovation and technological change has seen resource barren countries like South Korea advancing dramatically.
With similarities to the latter, a knowledge economy could mitigate our challenges and through research, development and innovation, as well as ICT, act as a driver for productivity and economic growth.
Top provincial bureaucrats, strategists and policymakers have been aware of this for quite some time and have, in compiling key planning documents like the provincial growth and development strategy and the provincial industrial development strategy, hinted at its relevance.
In July last year, the Eastern Cape cabinet approved the provincial innovation strategy readying us for comprehensive participation in the knowledge economy.
Talking holistically on this topic is tempting, however, my mandate at the Eastern Cape Information Technology Initiative (ECITI) is to promote the use and uptake of ICTs and as I have already said, there are visionaries in the province who anticipated what would drive future economies.
Ten years ago, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) set out to establish an ICT sector stimulator that would promote use of information and communication technologies to effect socio-economic development among other things. ECITI came into existence as it was seen that ICT could effect positive change by generating employment opportunities and assist with poverty eradication through develop ICT ecosystems that would not only promote uptake and usage of ICTs but promote the culture of innovation through support given to entrepreneurs.
This would be done through providing training, business support, mentorship and networking opportunities.
Having had close to 50 companies benefiting from the ECITI’s incubation programme, the ECDC’s forecasting of what would be the future economic drivers and its initiative is barely recognised. As we cast our eyes into the future we salute their enterprising spirit.
However, we need that spirit to permeate in all sectors of society, specifically government and its agencies. ICT centralisation means that no true socio-economic development will be realised if it is excluded.
To its credit, our national government has seen the value of setting up credible ICT infrastructure. Through the Strategic Infrastructure Project 15 (SIP 15) it seeks to provide 100% broadband coverage to all households by 2020, extend the fibre networks across provinces linking districts and local level, and further penetrate the network into deep rural areas.
According to the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, through private sector cooperation, business will provide ICT infrastructure for urban and corporate networks. However, government will co-invest for township and rural access as well as for e-government, school and health connectivity.
These exciting developments create great business and employment opportunities not only for ICT-based enterprises. The construction industry stands to benefit immensely from the erection of infrastructure. The same applies to manufacturers for the production and distribution of hardware.
All of this, however, hinges on ICT entrepreneurs and their enterprises being able to innovate and develop local solutions and products that would be relevant to the local and continental markets. Failure in this regard would affirm the current status quo that “the African ICT market is undeserved”.
As documented, in the ICT space “vast opportunities exist for small enterprises without the threat of market saturation”. Imbizos have just hosted in East London the 10th Eastern Cape ICT summit. Many players in the ICT space converged in yet another forum created by visionary entrepreneur Motse Mfuleni for the stimulation of the ICT sector.
I salute him and his team for creating an asset of value through this platform and hope those who were in attendance used it maximally.
This is said owing to an observation that we are, through various platforms including social networks, connected but do not adequately engage to yield results congruent with the proposition of the knowledge economy.
With that said. Let us “Connect and Engage” in creating legacies that will benefit generations to come.
Mncedi T Mgwigwi is executive manager of the Eastern Cape Information Technology Initiative (ECITI)
ICT initiative drives quest for knowledge economy
Any simple desktop study will reveal that over the last two decades new technology investments, high technology industries and extremely skilled labour have been key catalysts for the emergence of new knowledge-based economic sectors and have contributed immensely to economic upliftment surpassing traditional resource-based industries.
According to the World Bank Institute, a knowledge economy creates, disseminates and uses knowledge to enhance its growth and development. What fascinates me are the vast opportunities it presents for this province owing to what Kandathil K Jacobus describes as its ability to transform data as raw material – through the use of technology, analysis tools and human intelligence – into valuable knowledge and expertise.
The Eastern Cape has through the ages been known as a labour source for the so called golden triangle provinces – Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
But the advent of the knowledge-based economies through the promotion of knowledge, innovation and technological change has seen resource barren countries like South Korea advancing dramatically.
With similarities to the latter, a knowledge economy could mitigate our challenges and through research, development and innovation, as well as ICT, act as a driver for productivity and economic growth.
Top provincial bureaucrats, strategists and policymakers have been aware of this for quite some time and have, in compiling key planning documents like the provincial growth and development strategy and the provincial industrial development strategy, hinted at its relevance.
In July last year, the Eastern Cape cabinet approved the provincial innovation strategy readying us for comprehensive participation in the knowledge economy.
Talking holistically on this topic is tempting, however, my mandate at the Eastern Cape Information Technology Initiative (ECITI) is to promote the use and uptake of ICTs and as I have already said, there are visionaries in the province who anticipated what would drive future economies.
Ten years ago, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) set out to establish an ICT sector stimulator that would promote use of information and communication technologies to effect socio-economic development among other things. ECITI came into existence as it was seen that ICT could effect positive change by generating employment opportunities and assist with poverty eradication through develop ICT ecosystems that would not only promote uptake and usage of ICTs but promote the culture of innovation through support given to entrepreneurs.
This would be done through providing training, business support, mentorship and networking opportunities.
Having had close to 50 companies benefiting from the ECITI’s incubation programme, the ECDC’s forecasting of what would be the future economic drivers and its initiative is barely recognised. As we cast our eyes into the future we salute their enterprising spirit.
However, we need that spirit to permeate in all sectors of society, specifically government and its agencies. ICT centralisation means that no true socio-economic development will be realised if it is excluded.
To its credit, our national government has seen the value of setting up credible ICT infrastructure. Through the Strategic Infrastructure Project 15 (SIP 15) it seeks to provide 100% broadband coverage to all households by 2020, extend the fibre networks across provinces linking districts and local level, and further penetrate the network into deep rural areas.
According to the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, through private sector cooperation, business will provide ICT infrastructure for urban and corporate networks. However, government will co-invest for township and rural access as well as for e-government, school and health connectivity.
These exciting developments create great business and employment opportunities not only for ICT-based enterprises. The construction industry stands to benefit immensely from the erection of infrastructure. The same applies to manufacturers for the production and distribution of hardware.
All of this, however, hinges on ICT entrepreneurs and their enterprises being able to innovate and develop local solutions and products that would be relevant to the local and continental markets. Failure in this regard would affirm the current status quo that “the African ICT market is undeserved”.
As documented, in the ICT space “vast opportunities exist for small enterprises without the threat of market saturation”. Imbizos have just hosted in East London the 10th Eastern Cape ICT summit. Many players in the ICT space converged in yet another forum created by visionary entrepreneur Motse Mfuleni for the stimulation of the ICT sector.
I salute him and his team for creating an asset of value through this platform and hope those who were in attendance used it maximally.
This is said owing to an observation that we are, through various platforms including social networks, connected but do not adequately engage to yield results congruent with the proposition of the knowledge economy.
With that said. Let us “Connect and Engage” in creating legacies that will benefit generations to come.
Mncedi T Mgwigwi is executive manager of the Eastern Cape Information Technology Initiative (ECITI)
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