The information and communications technology empowerment working group says Monday`s mini-summit in Midrand is focusing on the task of bridging the digital divide and checking the group`s thinking on the subject.
Dali Mpofu, chairman of the empowerment working group, says the research team and working group have gathered most of the material needed on the other key issues for the empowerment charter, but felt the issue of bridging the digital divide needed more attention.
"There will be a number of issues on the table and so we don`t expect conclusions to be drawn, but more a sharing of ideas and brainstorming of the issues. There will also be time for people to contribute further after the summit."
Mpofu says the issues up for discussion include access, sustainability, relevance, broad-based empowerment, education, literacy, skills development and transference, rural development, community projects, enterprise development and more.
The summit will be structured into four sessions, each followed by a plenary debate, and will open with the minister of communications, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, and other high-level speakers giving an overview of the broader picture and the obstacles that need to be bridged.
Mpofu says it will then move onto examining current company-based initiatives, canvassing the views of industry associations, affiliations and similarities with other charters, and conclude with a cementing together of all associated issues and have recommendations put forward on what needs to be accommodated in the charter and scorecard.
Much of the debate is taking place behind closed doors, with the media expected to be asked to leave the summit after the second session. Mpofu says this decision was taken so that delegates could have the freedom to air their views openly.
The first draft of the charter is expected to be ready by the end of February. The working group hopes the final draft will be ready for an unveiling at Futurex at the Sandton Convention Centre on 18 May.
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