The country is searching for a niche area where it can make a technological impact in the global ICT arena.
Communications deputy minister Roy Padayachie says SA must identify key areas where it can develop ICT products it can trade, enabling the country to stand out in the global technological arena.
Padayachie was speaking at the Roundtable Discussion on ICT, Trade and Economic Growth, in Pretoria, this morning.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is hosting the two-day event in partnership with the Department of Communications and the ePolicy Resource Network.
Padayachie said SA needed to increase its investment in research and development. A key area is investment in small and medium ICT enterprises, enabling them to grow and innovate technologies. "We're not investing in R&D enough."
Padayachie explained the next wave of Internet development is in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Up to now, the Internet has been used to connect people, he noted. "The next wave will be the exploitation of the Internet as a device to connect things, allowing for people to remotely control devices to accomplish certain tasks."
SA may not be able to take the place that other countries, such as India, have staked out for themselves, he explained. However, it has the talent to create its own place, he added.
Proof of SA's potential is the fact that RFID was developed in SA. However, it was sold to an international company in 1983.
ICT billionaire entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth's accomplishments also showcase SA's potential, he added.
Development agenda
Padayachie said government plans to accelerate its rate of implementation of ICT policies in the next two years.
This decision, announced during the mid-term Cabinet lekgotla held last week, highlights the need to drive implementation of policy, rather than refining the policies themselves, he noted.
"We have decided not to be overtly concerned with refining policy, but in implementing it."
The South African government also plans to drive infrastructure investment to speed up the reduction in communication costs. This investment includes two undersea cables that president Thabo Mbeki announced at a press conference on Sunday.
Padayachie did not provide details as to the financial value of the undersea cable investment or timelines regarding its construction.
He noted the Department of Communications is also conducting a study to quantify the skills shortage in the local ICT sector. "Everyone is quoting everyone else about the skills shortage in SA, but no one seems to have the data as to the extent of the shortage or which skills are critically needed."