8 minute read
COMMUNICATION
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
TO REAP DIGITAL DIVIDENDS
The telecommunications sector is brimming with opportunity and women must not be left behind, says STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, Minister of Small Business Development (former Minister of Communications)
The coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on labour markets globally, with dire consequences particularly for women. Even though the gender disparity existed before the pandemic, research suggests that the already existing inequalities between women and men and between the different socio-economic groups have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Women have been severely affected by job losses, leading to loss of income. Studies have shown globally that women have suffered more job losses than men during the pandemic, and South Africa has not been spared. Gender disparity needs to be addressed urgently, as failure to do this will result in the pandemic having the potential to set back all gains that have been made thus far; to advance the empowerment of women, their participation in the economy and the attainment of gender equality in the workplace. It is therefore vital that as government and other social partners, we focus more on implementing policies and processes to ensure that women will be at the forefront of the reconstruction, recovery and growth of our economy.
THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR
The telecommunications industry is one of the sectors which must aggressively pursue opportunities to advance the growth of womenowned SMMEs and women professionals in the workplace. There is broad agreement that we are in a dynamic period in the telecommunications industry, one full of opportunities to be pursued, for example the roll out of fi bre, satellite installation and 5G roll out within the broader ecosystem to provide connectivity for the unconnected. The increasing penetration of various forms of connectivity such as broadband and wireless has been a catalyst to digital services. The rapid emerging technologies have brought much-needed dynamism into the sector. Paradoxically, while Covid-19 has brought on untold devastation, it has also revealed opportunities spurred by increasing digitisation of various economic sectors. This rapid evolution and growth should also be refl ective of gender diversity.
THE 2021 ICT SECTOR REPORT
The 2021 ICT sector report published by the regulator ICASA indicates that the telecommunications sector revenues continue to grow year-on-year, relatively higher than the broadcasting and postal services sectors.
As government we are appreciative of this growth in the sector and perceive it as a glimmer of hope in what has been a rather subdued economic climate. We are determined to ensure that women will be able to benefi t from the growth in the sector as entrepreneurs and professionals. In the past decade, since I have been involved in this sector, I have observed that the telecommunications sector has been somewhat dominated by men-owned SMMEs. A female colleague who runs her own SMME in the fi eld also corroborates my observation that there are still very few black women-owned companies operating in this space.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR WOMEN IN ICT
In an effort to empower black femaleowned SMMEs in the telecommunications sector, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, together with the Department of Trade and Industry and Competition, are working to implement the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Information and Communications Technology Sector Code (B-BBEE ICT Sector Code). This sector code is aimed at elevating priority elements including, among others, ownership, skills development as well as enterprise and supplier development. These elements are crucial for transformation in that they affi rm the notion that real transformation is realisable thoroughly by changing the patterns of ownership in the economy. We therefore have to ensure a skilled population, mainly focusing on young girls and women who will be able to participate in the economy at all levels, and the development of small enterprises through access to funding and procurement support, and so on. In line with the spirit of empowering black female-owned companies in the sector, our department issued a policy directive on the Wireless Open Access Network (WOAN). This was included as part of a policy directive to ICASA from our Department and is intended to encourage the meaningful participation of black entrepreneurs in the telecommunications industry. This serves to further the empowerment efforts of the country and will assist the sector to achieve its transformation agenda and facilitate new entrants, while also raising revenue for the fi scus. The release of the spectrum is also critical in supporting efforts aimed at bridging the digital divide and connecting those who remain on the fringes of technology and access to the internet. This also requires a fresh look at the skills available to the sector. This is no longer an industry of network engineers and systems administrators, but one of software developers, digital marketers, cloud engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and data scientists. It is in that spirit that the Department, together with its entities and private sector players, have embarked on futuristic digital skills development programmes that specifi cally target young people who are unemployed, especially women. The National Digital and Future Skills Strategy was approved by Cabinet last year, and we are in the process of its implementation phase. Government’s digital skills programme aims at establishing an education and skills development ecosystem that provides all South Africans, especially the youth, with the required skills to participate in the economic and social opportunities of the digital economy. The government has learned through its own experience that skills development for the sake of amassing certifi cates has become a futile exercise. It is for this reason that we have since embraced a model that focuses on developing skills on a given craft and couple that with entrepreneurial and innovative skills such that when a learner fi nishes their training, they think not only about getting employment, but about self-employment with the potential to employ others as their businesses grow.
A STRATEGY TOWARDS PARITY IN ICT
The Digital and Future Skills Strategy sets out a structured series of initiatives intended to contribute to building the capacity of South Africans to meet the challenges arising from the increasing deployment and adoption of digital technologies in the economy and society. The combined impact of these technology trends is having a substantial impact on the world of work, schooling, education and research, for the individuals and communities. It is a reality that unemployment among young people aged between 15 and 24 is estimated at 60%. The youth unemployment rate is recognised as one of the most pressing socio-economic challenges in South Africa. Investing in digital skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling of our young girls and women is imperative for achieving inclusion in the digital economy. Our intention as government is to remove as many barriers as possible and enable young people, especially women to fulfi l their dreams and career aspirations within the telecommunications sector. It is a sector that is brimming with opportunity and with its many novel aspects, it holds much potential, excitement and opportunities for young and budding entrepreneurs. Our responsibility is to ensure that women are not left behind and are also placed in leadership positions to reap the sector’s digital dividends.
STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS
MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (FORMER MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS)
Defensor was founded on the belief that we could establish the company in the security industry as the leading integrated security company, with superior customer service. The company has grown from humble beginnings to be one of the top security companies throughout the years in South Africa. Our vision has always been to be the preferred supplier of integrated security solutions, in a country with ever-changing technology and challenges. Defensor thrives on three principles: Honesty, Integrity and Fairness. With these principals, Defensor ensures a service that exceeds all expectations. We believe that affordable security, whether electronic or manpower, is a right, not a privilege. Providing safety and security, while remaining affordable, with excellent quality service, is what distinguishes Defensor from the rest. We endeavored to embrace technology as we recognised the pace in which security technology was advancing. Defensor invested time and resources to achieve a seam-less integration between manned security services and security technology, which is now a reality. The resources we offer are strong and enable us to provide exceptional service. Management is experienced and trained, and they all share the passion of and dedication to customer service. We pride ourselves in our employees, a team of professionals who, with their unwavering dedication and hard work, provide client-specifi c security solutions nationwide. Over more than 20 years in the security industry, we still believe that our employees are our most valuable assets. Our success is driven by the phrase: “You achieve what you believe.”
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