Communications minister calls for tech troops

MIRAH LANGER

“For any revolution to be effective, it has to have a commander… I declared myself the commander of the fourth industrial revolution,” quipped Ndabeni-Abrahams at a meeting with young Jewish leaders in Sandton on Monday, “as I did that, I said that I needed to build an army.

“We need to work together; there is a need to co-ordinate,” she said at the event organised by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. The function formed part of the board’s campaign to encourage community members to get involved in the upcoming national elections in May.

The fourth industrial revolution is a term coined to describe how technological advances are changing all aspects of society. Young people are needed to forge ahead during this time, said the minister, who was in conversation with radio personality Arye Kellman.

“We are the internet generation. We are a generation that does not know any borders,” she said.

“In South Africa, it is particularly exciting that technology can cut across disparate economic realities. The internet doesn’t care if you are rich or not. If you have access to it, it bridges the divide.”

The challenge was to create the logistics to ensure equal access, Ndabeni-Abrahams said. Yet, she assured the audience that the government was committed to resolving this through a number of initiatives.

In regard to basic education, it was shaping its policy based on an “isteam” concept of education. This means that along with a focus on science and mathematics, it also recognises the significance of innovation and the arts. These will be key components of a society steeped in artificial intelligence.

“The fourth industrial revolution is not there to replace anyone. It is machine to machine, but most importantly, it empowers society to change things. Robots can never replace our thinking, our creativity, the innovation we have.”

Even adults needed to upskill themselves and collaborate in order to thrive in this new era, she said.

The government has recognised that it will need to change legislation, provide adequate funding, as well as overhaul its engagement with the private sector to achieve in this sphere. “This time, we won’t be doing things that are comfortable as government,” the minister said.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said that while the government remained resolute about policies like transformation, it recognised that businesses needed to grow without being stifled by regulation.

“At least now we have open engagement with industry, which is a start. The interactions between the Cyril Ramaphosa-led government and the private sector are hopeful,” she said.

People had not completely given up on the ANC government, rather they were looking forward to change and engagement with it going forward.

“As South Africans, we need to have a common voice and a clear plan. A country is not just a government. We need to give South Africans a chance to identify their role in people-driven [growth] that can turn around the economy.”

She called on the youth to challenge the status quo. “We have to be bold about what we believe in, and we have to know our story. You can’t do it alone; you need to reach out to other young people to make sure that they support you.”

Her last call was for the youth to make their voices heard. “You must make as much noise as you can – believe me, it works!”

Deena Katzen, the National Chairperson of the South African Union of Jewish Students, thanked the minister for her engagement with the group, saying that she had inspired them to make their mark on the country.

“As young people, we often feel quite marginalised in the political spectrum,” she said, pointing out that at times, young people felt like they were not being taken seriously enough to make any substantial change to society.

The minister had shown them otherwise. “The youth are incredibly powerful. It’s important that we use that power to make changes, and to turn South Africa into a country which we are proud of,” said Katzen. “We are responsible for our own actions, and we are responsible for our own future.”