Month: July 2023

The authorities in South Africa are trying to clamp down on the torching of lorries on major motorways. So far this week 21 big trucks have been set ablaze.

The arson coincides with the second anniversary of violent nationwide riots in which more than 350 people were killed.

The government insists the lorry attacks are not related, even though there are similarities in the modus operandi.

Police Minister Bheki Cele has said investigators are closing in on 12 people who have been identified as the instigators.

“They’ve been identified by names, some of them by address and some of them by the cars they drive,” Mr Cele said on Wednesday.

Several motives including economic sabotage, robbery and labour disputes are being investigated.

Soldiers had been deployed to strategic areas where arson attacks had been reported, the police minister added.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has described them as “economic sabotage” because the trucks were burnt “on the main artery of our country”.

It was the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court that sparked the arrest in 2021 – and led to claims that his allies were seeking to overthrow South Africa’s young democracy.

Source: BBC

In 1990, the winds of change were slowly sweeping our nation, and on 11 February 1990 South Africa was abuzz with the news of the release of former President Nelson Mandela.

Having spent most of his adult life behind bars, Nelson Mandela was more myth than a man. He along with others such as OR Tambo were giant figures in our national psyche, but few people had ever seen or interacted with them.

On 11 February 1990 all this changed; with the eyes of the entire world upon us, South Africans waited with baited breath to meet the man behind the legend.

When Nelson Mandela finally emerged from the gates of the then Victor-Verster Prison in Cape Town he greeted the expectant crowd with a salute. The first steps he took as a free man energised the crowd, and the ripples of excitement echoed throughout our nation. With those first few steps, he broke the shackles of hundreds of years of oppression and set our nation on the path to freedom and democracy.

The release of Nelson Mandela signalled a turning point in our country; it set us on a new path and banished the evil apartheid system to the pages of history.

Those of us who lived through this jubilant and hopeful time in our nation would be forgiven for thinking at the time that freedom and democracy would cure all society’s ills. This was of course never going to be the case, and as we have since learned, democracy is a process, not a destination.

Many of the deep-rooted problems that we inherited such as poverty, inequality and unemployment continue to plague us today, and the many sins of the past still shape our shared future. Building a country from the ground up was never going to be easy, pre 1994 South Africa was the pariah of the world and technically bankrupt.

Nelson Mandela and our other leaders in 1994 recognised that to build anew we had to turn our diverse population into a strength. They recognised that we were better together, that we needed each other, and that working together we could begin to envision a new future together.

This process has continued unabated since 1994 and although we have undeniably made massive strides, much still needs to be done. We are therefore lucky to be able to call on the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela to assist us as we strive to move South Africa forward. Throughout his life, he continually emphasised the need for national unity, social cohesion and nation building. This vision allowed us to emerge from the mire of apartheid into a free and democratic nation in 1994.

We should also never forget that our Constitution lays the foundation for an open society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.

Shaping a common and prosperous future therefore lies in our hands. Nelson Mandela famously said on the occasion of his 90th birthday at a concert in Hyde Park, London; “It’s in your hands now”.

This sentiment of all of us taking the lead in shaping the future we want to see is echoed in the annual commemoration of Mandela Month, where we are all called upon to work together for a better and equitable society for all.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Madiba’s passing in December 2013. To commemorate this, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has themed the 10-Year Remembrance call to action “The Legacy Lives on Through You”.

Some might well ask but how can I make a difference, or what can I do to build on a legacy of a person who was clearly extraordinary?

It is true that Madiba did great things and his legacy continues to inspire today. However, throughout his life he simply worked for the benefit of others and to better our nation.

We have that power as individuals and our actions can make massive changes. By living responsibly and indeed taking responsibility for our actions, we can make a difference. One area where we can all contribute is to help in keeping the lights on. Do the right thing and report metals theft and illegal connections, switch off the lights during peak consumption periods, refuse to buy stolen goods. These seemingly small and insignificant actions can make a massive difference, especially when multiplied across communities and our nation.

The same principle of communities and individuals looking out for each other apply in all aspects of life. Let us therefore build on Madiba’s legacy by staying true to our founding ideals of justice, equality and a non-racial South Africa. We have always been stronger when we are united and together we can begin to build a society where all people are given the chance to live their dreams.

By working together, we can find solutions to our growing social and economic challenges. South Africa belongs to all who live in it, and we have no choice but to move forward together to ensure a sustainable and vibrant future for all.

Government therefore calls on all South Africans to ensure that we live the ideal of ensuring that “The Legacy Lives on Through You”.

* Tasneem Carrim is the Chief Director of Policy and Research at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended Huawei for the work it is doing to cultivate local digital talent through the Learned, Engaged, Accelerated Professionals (LEAP) Programme, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) academies and DigiSchool projects.

The President was speaking at the launch of the Huawei South Africa Innovation Centre held at the Huawei Office Park in Woodmead, Sandton, on Thursday.

The Huawei Innovation Centre serves to foster and encourage joint innovations with Huawei’s South African partners, app developers and Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in the ICT space.

The centre is also a showcase of Huawei’s latest and most innovative digital technologies and solutions.

The President, who toured the centre in the morning, said what he saw and heard, is both impressive and encouraging.

“This centre brings together Huawei’s different business units in a collaboration hub with local partners, app developers and ICT-focused SMMEs. For South Africa, expanding digital infrastructure is one of the primary engines of economic growth [and] the development of information technology is key to the competitiveness of our economy,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President also welcomed Huawei plans to invest substantially in data centres and cyber security industries in Africa.

By adopting the range of cutting-edge technologies being pioneered by companies such as Huawei, he said, South Africa and the continent will be able to leapfrog into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

“It is our hope that this Innovation Centre will be a springboard for the launch of new local ICT enterprises that create jobs. We hope it will be a springboard to new business processes that grow our economy and support our national developmental goals,” President Ramaphosa said.

Digital innovation inextricably linked to nation’s development

President Ramaphosa also noted that not only can new digital technologies such as AI, Big Data and machine learning provide a platform for economic growth, job creation and self-employment; they can also vastly improve government service delivery.

“The application of digital technologies to improve production processes spans a broad range of economic sectors from mining to ports to transportation and others. Last year, for example, the first 5G coal mine was launched in South Africa through a partnership with Huawei, its carrier and industry partners.

“This centre is a signal of Huawei’s confidence in the South African economy and its potential. The digital technology and business services sectors are key pillars of South Africa’s investment strategy,” President Ramaphosa said.

To stimulate investment in these sectors, the President said, government has focused on several structural reforms.

He said the actions taken include the auction of high-demand spectrum that took place last year, which – alongside digital migration “will significantly expand access to broadband and bring down data costs.”

Other priorities include the development of an ICT and Digital Economy Masterplan and National Data and Cloud Policy.

The President noted that South Africa has a robust and sophisticated ICT sector with expertise in data centres, including cloud computing and storage, and rapidly expanding wireless and fibre infrastructure.

The country also has strong regulatory frameworks around cybersecurity, intellectual property, and the protection of personal information, amongst others.

“According to the 2023 State of the ICT Sector in South Africa, published by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the sector’s revenue continues to increase by approximately R25.5 billion over a five-year period. This makes the ICT sector one of our most attractive industries for investment, with substantial growth potential,” the President highlighted.

As we grow the digital economy, he said, it is our expectation that this growth in revenue should be matched by an increase in the number of jobs the sector creates.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, 13 July 2023, attend the launch of the Huawei South Africa Innovation Centre, to take place at Huawei Office Park in Woodmead, Sandton.

The Huawei Innovation Centre serves to foster and encourage joint innovations with Huawei’s South African partners, app developers and SMME’s in the ICT space.

It is also a showcase of Huawei’s latest and most innovative digital technologies and solutions.

Huawei Technologies is a leading global ICT and smart devices company, which has been operating in South Africa since 1998. Over a period of more than two decades, Huawei has established itself as a trusted partner and brand in the telecommunications, enterprise, consumer, cloud and digital power markets.

The President will tour the Innovation Center and later deliver an address.

A media pool has been arranged to cover the President’s visit and the official launch. The programme is scheduled to start at 10h00.

Media enquiries:

Vincent Magwenya

Cell: 082 835 6315

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted and welcomed the judgement by the Constitutional Court, affirming the President’s adherence to due process and fairness, in the process of suspending Public Protector Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

The suspension followed the decision by the National Assembly to institute section 194 proceedings against Adv. Mkhwebane.

Media enquires:

Vincent Magwenya

Cell: 082 835 6315

Source: Government of South Africa

Programme Director,

Ministers and Deputy Ministers,

His Excellency Ambassador Chen of the People’s Republic of China,

President of Huawei Southern Africa, Mr Leo Chen,

Chief Executive Officer of Huawei South Africa, Mr Will Meng,

Deputy CEO of Huawei South Africa, Mr Kan Chen,

Partners from business, including the Open Lab Local SMME partners,

Winners of the ICT Competition present here today,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

What I have seen and heard this morning is both impressive and encouraging.

This Centre brings together Huawei’s different business units in a collaboration hub with local partners, app developers and ICT-focused SMMEs.

For South Africa, expanding digital infrastructure is one of the primary engines of economic growth. The development of information technology is key to the competitiveness of our economy.

Ambassador Chen,

In October last year, President Xi Jinping described science and technology as “a primary productive force, talent as a primary resource, and innovation as a primary driver of growth”.

This is a sentiment that we share.

Digital innovation is inextricably linked to a nation’s development.

Not only can new digital technologies such as AI, Big Data and machine learning provide a platform for economic growth, job creation and self-employment; they can also vastly improve Government service delivery.

The application of digital technologies to improve production processes spans a broad range of economic sectors from mining to ports to transportation and others.

Last year, for example, the first 5G coal mine was launched in South Africa through a partnership with Huawei, its carrier and industry partners.

This centre is a signal of Huawei’s confidence in the South African economy and its potential.

The digital technology and business services sectors are key pillars of South Africa’s investment strategy.

To stimulate investment in these sectors, we have focused on several structural reforms.

The actions we have taken include the auction of high-demand spectrum that took place last year, which – alongside digital migration – will significantly expand access to broadband and bring down data costs.

Other priorities include the development of an ICT and Digital Economy Masterplan and National Data and Cloud Policy.

South Africa has a robust and sophisticated ICT sector with expertise in data centres, cloud computing and storage, and rapidly expanding wireless and fibre infrastructure.

We have strong regulatory frameworks around cybersecurity, intellectual property, the protection of personal information and others.

According to the 2023 State of the ICT Sector in South Africa, published by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the sector’s revenue continues to increase, by approximately R25.5 billion over a five-year period.

This makes the ICT sector one of our most attractive industries for investment, with substantial growth potential.

As we grow the digital economy it is our expectation that this growth in revenue should be matched by an increase in the number of jobs the sector creates.

It is, therefore, encouraging that this Innovation Centre will be focusing on knowledge and skills transfer, as well as SMME development.

I congratulate Huawei for the work it is doing to cultivate local digital talent through the LEAP programme, ICT academies and DigiSchool projects.

We welcome indications by Huawei that the company plans to invest substantially in data centres and cyber security industries in Africa.

By adopting the range of cutting-edge technologies being pioneered by companies such as Huawei, South Africa and the continent will be able to leapfrog into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

I look forward to receiving updates on the innovation and collaborative partnerships that will be forged here.

It is our hope that this Innovation Centre will be a springboard for the launch of new local ICT enterprises that create jobs. We hope it will be a springboard to new business processes that grow our economy and support our national developmental goals.

I wish Huawei and its partners every success with this Innovation Centre.

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa