The Black Information Technology Forum (BITF) has praised government efforts, but says the ICT industry still faces great challenges that need to be addressed.
In a statement, the BITF says this is a critical time for SA and the ICT industry. “These challenges relate to SME development, empowerment opportunities for black businesses, lack of strategic development of black professionals, industry buy-in on the transformation charter and the gaps between the rural and urban digital divide in our country.”
The BITF will hold its annual general meeting at the end of the month, where new leadership will be appointed.
The forum notes that, despite these challenges, the industry is also witnessing great opportunities created by government. The forum is encouraged by the willingness of government to engage all black business bodies on matters related to the industry.
“Government broadly has created a conducive environment for black entrepreneurs to engage. What's critical at the end of the day is what value do we give to our members, and we will continue to engage with the government in a positive manner. But, so far, so good,” says acting secretary-general Motse Mfuleni.
New blood
The BITF will elect a new leadership collective, tasked with positioning the body as a critical leader in telecoms, and help close the digital divide between the rural and urban areas. The forum praised current chairman Mthunzi Mdwaba, saying he has “served his term with distinction”.
“Mr Mdwaba has helped BITF immensely in making sure our stakeholder relationships and private sector partnerships are managed with great care and responsibility. He has positioned BITF to many critical stakeholder organisations such as BUSA (Business Unity SA) and the International Labour Organisation.”
The BITF says the key mandate of the new leadership will be to position the organisation strategically in key projects, such as the rollout of smart boxes; undersea cables, driven by Seacom; and more importantly, the 2010 World Cup and beyond ICT legacy programs, that can create value for members and disadvantaged communities.
Key projects
Mfuleni notes that the forum will interact with its members on the issue of the set-top boxes, and explore ways of involving the SMEs as contractors to the various households. Skills development, along with mentorship and partner programmes, will be key to this programme. He adds that participation in 2010 is important and more needs to be done to harness post-2010 benefits to the industry and its members.
According to Mfuleni, Seacom is only now beginning to take traction in the industry at large, and there hasn't yet been direct organisational participation. It's an important project for the BITF to interact with, considering its impact in providing cheaper broadband connectivity, he adds.
Charter woes
The forum is not pleased with the current status of the ICT charter, Mfuleni notes. The charter is currently sitting with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), following concerns raised by the electronics sector on the BEE sector codes. The DTI has indicated that only once all sectors support the charter, will the gazetting process continue.
He adds that the momentum of the ICT charter process started well, where all the stakeholders participated, but it's now lost momentum and the forum has found this process worrying.
“We are worried that some of the stakeholders are lobbying to stop it. If it becomes a write-off, it has huge implications on procurement and the approach to empowerment processes. If it moves at a snail's pace, it means it will no longer benefit our members. We all operate as black entrepreneurs and in the industry, we need to speak in one voice.”
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