Johannesburg, 20 Jun 2018
Pinky Kekana, the Deputy Minister of Communications, on Wednesday warned that technology must not exacerbate the rampant inequality that confronts South Africans.
Kekana told delegates at the IBM 'Think' conference at Kyalami on Wednesday that the country's highly unionised labour sectors should invest in skills development to address the challenges which come with digitalisation.
She said the government is also committed to address the high cost of communication, a significant barrier to entry for small and medium enterprises.
Kekana sketched a future in which technology will bridge socioeconomic inequalities, helping to stop the surge in cash-in-transit heists, and catch hackers who steal citizens' information.
Kekana also said - quoting US theoretical physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson - that "Technology is a gift from God. After the gift of life, it is perhaps the greatest of God's gifts. It is the mother of civilisations and arts and sciences."
"How do we ensure this gift from God becomes a resource for people from all walks of life?" she asked, adding it must serve those living in small towns such as Bela Bela or megacities such as Johannesburg alike.
Telemedicine
Kekana said technology, and specifically the Fourth Industrial Revolution, will benefit all South Africans and bring better healthcare and education.
She envisaged a heart surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape being linked, through technology, with a surgeon at the Mankweng Hospital in Polokwane to facilitate surgery.
Kekana also said it was time to introduce basic software coding in schools and that technology will improve the participation of pupils, and 'most importantly, make learning more fun'.
The deputy minister said the growth of technology also required us to imagine what humanity will look like in the near to mid-term future, and specifically how it related to how automation will affect our occupations.
Quoting from a World Economic Forum report, Kekana said that a third of jobs in 2020, do not exist at present.
"We will double down on infrastructure and make sure our education system provides appropriate skills for the digital economy. We are moving into an economy which will be heavy on technology and light on labour. The rise of technology should not make us anxious.
"The evolution of jobs should not deter us from moving forward to an automated society. But as we do so, we must be conscious not to leave others behind."
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