Parties must prioritise the tech revolution

SHAUN ZAGNOEV

This event was primarily aimed at younger members of our community, including young professionals and students. The main item on the agenda was a discussion between Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and media personality and entrepreneur Arye Kellman on the role young South Africans should play in economic and social development.

Appropriately enough given the audience, Ndabeni-Abrahams is the youngest member of Cabinet. More importantly, her portfolio covers an area in which, by and large, younger people are already heavily involved in, and which will undoubtedly be a decisive influence in their endeavours, professional or otherwise.

In her address and the question-answer session that followed, Ndabeni-Abrahams dwelt at some length on what is now commonly referred to as “the fourth industrial revolution”, a term that if anything, understates the extent to which emerging technology in fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology are transforming the way we live, work, and communicate. Properly harnessed, these spectacular developments have the potential to address some of the most daunting problems that have confronted the human race over millennia, including critical areas such as food security, employment, and healthcare. The very rapidity with which change is taking place poses its own challenges, since no country can afford to fall behind and still remain competitive.

As South Africa approaches what is arguably its most important election since the democratic transition a quarter of a century ago, it is vital that these issues appear high on the agenda of all the contesting parties. We are gratified to have been able to make a meaningful contribution to the greater debate, for which thanks is due to our two distinguished speakers. It was also extremely encouraging to witness the enthusiasm and positivity shown by young participants from our own community and beyond. They, after all, are destined to be at the forefront of the technological wave.

The next event on the Make Us Count programme will be a “Great Debate” in Johannesburg on 11 April between representatives of some of the main competing parties. It will be an opportunity for our community to understand their vision for our country, and to ask questions. We hope to attract full attendance once again, and encourage everyone to visit our Facebook pages for updates.

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