ICT

Rhinos will benefit from technology.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has become the first government entity in the province to receive a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Operations Certificate from the South African Civil Aviation Authority.

Not only will rangers be able to check on the condition of rhinos threatened by poachers, but being able to deploy drones will assist research efforts, promote marketing and allow for more detailed inspections more often.

A group of young people from KwaDukuza and Mandeni Local Municipalities have completed their one-year, SETA-accredited training under the iLembe ICT project, which will enable them to design and develop websites and apps.

The digital training programme was managed by the Vuthela iLembe LED Support Programme in partnership with Enterprise iLembe, the district’s economic development agency, the Moses Kotane Institute and the youth managers of both municipalities.

The graduation, pictured, formed part of a one-day event titled “Let’s Talk Youth Entrepreneurship” hosted by Enterprise iLembe where opportunities in the Green Economy and in the digital world were discussed.

South Africa became better connected to Mauritius, Madagascar and Reunion in 2023 when Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa deployed its MTEL T3 subsea cable on Amanzimtoti’s Pipeline Beach. The company will host and manage the submarine cable and provide the fibre-landing facility that will house two subsea cables.

A provincial strategy for creating smart cities is targeting three districts: Ugu (Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality as anchor), iLembe (KwaDukuza) and Richards Bay (uMhlathuze).

Broadband Infraco is providing layer two network services to Dube TradePort to provide over 810 WiFi hotspots at 405 selected sites across the province.

Over the next five years, the Moses Kotane Institute, another subsidiary of the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, will connect several rural communities. Hubs are expected to be functional in Community

Online Resources

Dube TradePort: www.dubetradeport.co.za

Information Technology Association of South Africa: www.ita.org.za

SmartExchange: www.smartxchange.co.za

South African Vanguard of Technology: www.savant.co.za

Sector Insight

Service Centres to improve public access to digital services.

South African Vanguard of Technology (Savant) is a Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) programme. It is the marketing and awareness programme for the South African ICT and electronics sector. The aim is to develop South African exports and to attract foreign investment. It houses a venture fund and an incubator.

A SmartXchange SMME Incubator has been launched in Port Shepstone on the South Coast. The concept of ICT has been expanded to include media and electronics, so the hub is called an MICTe Incubator.

The province’s SmartXchange is an example of a successful publicprivate partnership that supports businesses in the information technology and communications sector. Incubation strategies for startups and skills development (including links to educational institutions) are important parts of the organisation’s brief. ■