South Africa’s digital sovereignty concerns have crept up once again, amid deepened geopolitical competition and tensions.
Speaking during the GovTech conference in Durban yesterday, minister of science, technology and innovation professor Blade Nzimande said that without digital sovereignty, SA has no national sovereignty.
“We need digital sovereignty. We can’t have our data controlled by everybody, anywhere in the world.
“Of course, we must cooperate with other countries and there must be partnerships between public and private sectors, but this must be done with the context of guarding our digital sovereignty.”
According to the World Economic Forum, digital, cyber, technological and data sovereignty refer to a country’s ability to control its own digital destiny – the data, hardware and software it relies on.
It further states that digital sovereignty has become a concern for many policymakers that feel there is too much control ceded to too few places, too little choice in the tech market, and too much power in the hands of a small number of tech companies, which control massive amounts of user data.
During the address, Nzimande also issued a caution, pointing to the potential downside of emerging technologies that can be used for destructive purposes.
He pointed to the war in Gaza, noting the Israeli army is using artificial intelligence (AI). “Technology is used in wars. This reminds us that technologies are not inherently neutral or democratic, and must be understood as extensions of political and economic power.”
However, he also underscored the fundamental importance of digital technologies, which provide the capacity the country needs.
Nzimande said he was glad to see collaboration among government departments and entities, in his capacity as a minister. “I was here last time to underline that we must work as a whole of government.
“When we seek partnerships with the private sector, we mustn’t be embarrassed and discover that the private sector knows more about working with a fellow department than the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, for example.
“Collaboration is very important. We still have a huge task just to compile data for government.”
Taking a page from his speech in 2023, Nzimande reiterated the archaic government processes of applying for State jobs, for example.
“You apply for chief director [position] in the Department of Higher Education and Training…and you go to a police station that will require you to take a taxi and travel for hours, only to queue in a police station to certify documents that prove you have the BSc or diploma in whatever you studied. This, to submit documents to a department that has all this information.
“Why should I prove to the [Department of Higher Education and Training] that I have a BSc? The department should be able to simply press a button, and all my qualifications must show up, not wasting time. This is huge task that we have that underlines the importance of cooperation.”
Turning to his department’s role, the minister said it was focused on intensifying SA’s economic transformation by driving the modernisation of all key sectors of the economy.
“Part of the decadal plan is the task of building foundational capabilities for the digital economy, which includes developing local technologies, so that there’s no reliance on imported technologies. Our country is innovative across the board.
“As the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, we are building foundational capabilities in AI, cybernetics and robotics, internet of things, cyber security and blockchain modelling and simulation.
“Additionally, we are implementing South Africa’s ICT research development and innovation roadmap. It’s not enough to innovate, if you can’t back that up with research and development.”
GovTech is hosted by the State IT Agency, in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
The public sector ICT conference takes place at the Durban International Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal until 10 September.
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