At least seven ICT-focused associations have agreed to form an umbrella body for the industry. The objective of this body will be to maintain communications with government.
The South African Communications Forum (SACF), IT Association, Electronic Industries Federation, Computer Society of SA, Southern African Digital Broadcasting Association, and Business Processing Enabling SA and Information Industry SA agreed, in principle, to support the initiative on Tuesday.
The parties decided the core functions of the body will be policy and regulatory intervention, skills development, resource mobilisation, partnerships with key stakeholders and business development.
Led by SACF president Eddie Funde, the organisations will now set up a task team.
"We have received a mandate from the represented bodies to set up a task team to drive the new body. This task team - which will be set up almost immediately - will consist of representatives of the various organisations, as well as people co-opted from the industry for their expertise," says Funde.
Short-term aims
The task team will be charged with the official development of the umbrella body. This is expected to be finalised within the next six months.
"We will also engage with other ICT-related organisations to get their buy-in to this body. It is critical that we get as much support from industry - and even the public - in order to realise our aims," says Funde.
Additionally, the task team will begin pulling together recommendations that emanated from this week's Midrand conference, themed: Uniting the ICT industry to implement the information society. It will also talk to government on how to facilitate a public-private-partnership engagement model.
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