Ashiek Manie - a man who sees the internet as a tool to help empower marginalised sectors of the community, Non-government organisations (NGO`s) and small businesses - has been appointed Deputy Managing Director of Intekom, one of South Africa`s largest Internet Service Providers.
Manie`s appointment is regarded as a strong endorsement of Intekom`s business objective to extend Internet access to all citizens, including those in the outlying areas, and to promote the web to South Africa`s small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMME). His appointment is also an endorsement of Intekom`s commitment to recognising and building black expertise and leadership in the internet industry.
"While Intekom will continue to provide quality service to our large corporate customers, we will also be launching specially-tailored Internet products and services designed to enhance the competitiveness of smaller business clients in the market place," Manie said.
He believes this to be of particular significance in light of the Government`s SMME strategy to improve the national economy.
"The delivery of IT solutions is not just about the delivery of technology" he stresses. "It is also a business imperative to help bring about social and economic development, preserve democracy, and create a more efficient society," he said.
A Masters graduate in computer-based education from the University of Cape Town and previously Director of the University of Western Cape`s Centre for Computer Based Education, Manie is currently working towards an MBA from Bond University in Australia. He is credited with the founding of the Community Education Computer Society (CECS) in 1985. CECS was established as a development project and attracted international training expertise and funding from the Ford Foundation, the European Community and Kagiso Trust, among others.
The organisation is responsible for the computer training of several NGO`s, trade unions and community-based organisations. Many of the leaders of these organisations hold key posts in Government and local industry today.
Before joining Intekom, Manie headed up Telkom`s Information Highway and Governance Strategy, a R20 million project for launching 14 post-graduate Research Centres of Excellence at higher education institutions throughout the country. His background also includes being Head of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) in the Western Cape Education Department and serving as councillor on the Cape Metropolitan Council. This, he believes, helped to shape his vision of an "internet as both a development as well as a business tool - for EVERYONE out there".
"Intekom, supported by its parent company Telkom and strategic equity partners Malaysia Telecom and Southwestern Bell Corporation (USA), will align itself closely with the Government`s national information strategy (Info.Com 2025). This strategy aims to promote the use of the Internet to enhance access to education, social welfare and health services, electronic commerce and communication irrespective of distance," Manie concluded.
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