The South African Communications Forum (SACF) last week unveiled its ICT Youth Forum.
The SACF says the forum aims at bridging the digital divide and harnessing the national ICT development goals in achieving universal goals and universal access among young ICT professionals. It also believes this could create more digital citizens.
According to the association, the forum seeks to create a platform for young ICT entrepreneurs to interact with CEOs in the IT industry and to discuss issues affecting them, while being mentored to become future industry leaders.
The forum also received support from organisations like Vodacom, Cell C, MTN, Telkom, Broadband Infraco, Sentech, Dimension Data, and etv, among others, it adds.
Among the speakers during the unveiling was Sandile Ngcobo, a CSIR scientist who developed the world's first digital laser. Ngcobo said that, as a scientist, he would like to encourage the youth to pursue careers in science and technology or business. He also encouraged them to become familiar with ICT as a tool for economic growth and advancement of the country.
However, he highlighted that SA, as a developing country, is a difficult place to do business in and presents many challenges for young entrepreneurs seeking to initiate their own business ideas. Financial support, red tape and a lack of resources, among other factors, are challenges entrepreneurs faced in SA, he said.
Ngcobo appealed to the government and financial institutions to make available the resources needed by young graduates. He added that ICT could combat socio-economic challenges in the country. Also, through increasing access to information, a platform could be created that can be exploited by the youth in rural areas, concluded Ngcobo.
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