Towards a Sustainable Development View of ICT-based Local Content

in South Africa

Steve Vosloosteve@molotech.org.za

Project brief• Sponsored by IISD and IDRC (Canada)• In 6 developing countries it aims:

– To integrate the visions of the emerging IS with the principles and priorities of the UN's MDG and WSSD

– To foster interaction between the national SD and IS policy communities

• Outcome: workshops, research paper (book)

Overview• South Africa• Forthcoming ICT Strategy• Local content• Sustainable development• Engagement

South Africa• Apartheid legacy democracy in 1994• Population: 44 million• Chronic income/wealth inequality, along spatial and

racial biases• 30% households have no electricity• 15% households have no toilet facility• 30% unemployment• Half live below poverty line (US$1.8/day)• Cultural diversity: 11 official languages, many

peoples

ICT penetration in SA• Radio: 75% of households• TV: 50% of households• PCs: White households: 46%

Black African, Indian, Coloured: 2%(Census 2001)

• Internet: (approx.) 10% of population have access

• Strong ICT penetration in wealthy groups in cities

Telephone density

National ICT Strategy• Presidential National Commission on Information

Society and Development (PNC on ISaD) working on:ISaD Plan and Implementation Strategy

1. To create a clear national IS vision for SA to which national, provincial and local govt should align their ICT strategies

2. To maximise the use of ICTs for development in SA

National ICT Strategy (cont.)

ICT Infrastructure Devp

Lo

cal c

onte

nt

SM

MEs

E-

Gov

t

E-

Educ

atio

n

E-

Hea

lth

Human Resources Devp

Applications

…

Local content• What is local content?

– “The expression of the locally owned and adapted knowledge of a community – where the community is defined by its location, culture, language, or area of interest” (Ballantyne 2002)

• SA focus on arts, culture, heritage and IK• Influences: SA history, WSIS

Key message …

Local content is a fundamental building block of SD

Cape Gateway

www.capegateway.gov.za

OKN Mobile

www.oknmobile.com

Mindset

www.mindset.co.za

Engagement• 2 half-day workshops: CT and Jhb• Academia, Government, CSOs

Impact:• Point was acknowledged• “Development” in Country Report is economics

focused• Continue to advise PNC on LC issues

Thank You

Steve Vosloosteve@molotech.org.zawww.molotech.org.za