The State IT Agency (SITA) held its 10th annual GovTech event at Durban's Inkosi Luthuli International Convention Centre this week. This year's event was attended by close to 2 000 delegates.
GovTech 2015 was organised under the theme "Partnering for Service Delivery" and sub-themed "Connecting Communities for Development and Growth".
The event aimed at reflecting on the journey travelled by South Africans, both in the public and private sector spaces, as they worked together through GovTech and other fora to transform the enigma that was once ICT and make it responsive to societal challenges.
GovTech this year was certified as a gold-class sustainable event following an on-site evaluation by Sustainability Benchmark Solutions.
Dignitaries at the event included minister of telecommunications and postal services, Siyabonga Cwele, and deputy, Hlengiwe Mkhize.
SA Connect dream
Cwele and Mkhize emphasised the need to roll out broadband services, especially to SA's rural areas, in order to realise the SA Connect dream.
The ministers lamented that the country was still suffering from the legacy of apartheid, which they blamed for the huge digital divide that still exists in the country.
They also dwelt on the issue of making use of ICT in order for government to improve service delivery to citizens. E-government was a theme that over-lapped both Cwele and Mkhize's speeches. They challenged SITA to spearhead and develop an integrated e-government solution which will also boost SA's service delivery.
Mohapi 'love'
SITA was represented by its board chairman, Jerry Vilakazi, and newly-appointed CEO, Setumo Mohapi. Mkhize was full of praise for Mohapi's work at the IT agency, saying he had already won the hearts of parliamentarians in the short stint he has been with SITA.
Mohapi joined SITA in April after being widely credited with turning around government's broadcasting signal distributor, Sentech.
"I think he [Mohapi] has made a mark. He seems to be falling in love with all the leadership of Parliament and we are proud of his work. So this is adding to the impression that you [Mohapi] have created since you joined SITA. Sometimes we joke saying one would think he has been with us for over a year and yet he has just started. We really appreciate your contribution," Mkhize praised the SITA CEO.
An executive leadership session with the topic: "Open Data and Open Partnerships for Responsive Government, Citizen Empowerment and Economic Growth" was held on Sunday evening.
In the April 2014 McKinsey Global Institute Report (Unlocking innovation and performance with liquid information) it was pointed out that open data had the potential not only to transform every sector of the economy but also to unleash more than $3 trillion in global economic value annually.
Mohapi explained the critical role government played in open data, referencing the McKinsey report. "While businesses and other private organisations can make more information public, we believe government has a critical role in unleashing the economic potential of open data.
"Sitting at the nexus of key stakeholders - citizens, businesses, and non-governmental organisations - government is ideally positioned to extract value from open data and to help others do the same," said Mohapi.
Public ICT Awards
Sunday night also saw the announcement of the winners of the first annual Public ICT Awards at a gala dinner. The awards, organised by SITA, provide a platform to promote and profile innovation and transformation through products, solutions and service delivery.
Twenty-one companies, public sector entities and individuals were recognised for their efforts to improve the lives of citizens, using technology.
In his keynote address at the awards dinner, Cwele said he is confident that, 10 years from now, looking back on this day, "these awards will have provided a platform to recognise government institutions in all spheres using technology, improving the lives of all citizens".
Nominations were accepted in seven categories: ICT Service Delivery Transformation Award - National Government, Provincial Government and Local Government; ICT Provider Innovation and Service Transformation Award - start-ups and SMMEs up to R10 million and companies over R10 million; Women in ICT Award; and Youth in ICT Award.
Every third placed entrant received R30 000 towards their entered project, second place entrants received R50 000, and winners received R100 000.
Knowledge exchange
On Monday, Cwele opened a state-of-the-art R400 000 ICT lab at the Umlazi Comprehensive Technical High School.
The lab is equipped with 33 computers with a broadband speed of 15Mbps and is able to connect to other such labs in the country, allowing students and teachers to exchange knowledge and information in real-time.
Installing labs and connections at schools is part of the connectivity and digitisation project by government, SA Connect, which will see modern fibre telecommunications infrastructure rolled out nationwide, starting with the most difficult to reach places - schools in rural areas, which lack infrastructure, said Cwele.
Pilots are being conducted in eight rural areas before rolling out nationwide, with the aim of connecting every classroom in every school by 2020.
Private sector talk
There was also representation from the private sector. Vodacom's Vuyani Jarana spoke of ICT being used to create jobs and improve SA's competitiveness.
From Telkom was Ike Kunene, public services managing executive, whose main talk was on digitising the public sector by enabling service delivery partnerships.
Ex-First National Bank CEO and founder of MonteGray Capital, Michael Jordaan, led delegates through his journey of innovation at the bank, sharing key lessons.
Motivational speaker Sibusiso Vilane - the first South African to complete the Three Poles Challenge - inspired delegates with his story "Beyond Everest" - tackling Everest, the South Pole and the Seven Summits.
Share
