Mandisa Magubane

The Changing Face of Telcos in a Digital World was the theme at the 22nd annual Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC) held from 1 to 4 September in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal.

This year’s conference observed the effects of the digital world, 5G, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The conference was attended by hundreds of delegates who are well-known in the digital space.

During his opening address the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Dr. Blade Nzimande said that the government believes that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) play a key role in facilitating the objectives of the NDP and those of the National Integrated ICT  Policy White Paper, which sets out how the government will realise this potential.

“The South African National Development Plan outlines the government’s commitment to building a more inclusive society in order to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality in the country by 2030. It sets out specific steps and targets to achieve an inclusive and prosperous society where opportunity is determined not by birth but by ability, education and hard work,” said Nzimande.

The highly topical theme of this year’s conference promised to generate a number of interesting plenary sessions and presentations with speakers from all over South Africa and the world including the South African Minister of Communications, Telecommunications, and Postal Services, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said that “if they are to allocate 5G they are looking into an entire eco-system, that’s why they put emphasis on the skills and innovation that creates an enabling environment”.

Pictures: Sibonginkosi Mabika