GovTech 2025: Govt leaders call on SA invest in innovation, digital infrastrucure

JOHANNESBURG - Government leaders have called on South Africa to draw lessons from South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia - which have seen high return on their investment in human capital, innovation and digital infrastructure.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande and premier Thami Ntuli were among delegates at the opening of the annual GovTech conference in Durban on Monday.

They are part of a bid to improve the use of technology to drive service delivery, strengthen decision-making across the board and growth the economy.

This includes the implementation of the decadal plan, building on Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, cybersecurity, modelling and simulation.

While there are some drawbacks to the rapid changes in technology, Ntuli said the good outweighs the bad.

“In today’s context, knowledge and information are among the most powerful tools for transformation. When harnessed and shared, particularly, through ICTs [Information and Communication Technologies] they have the capacity to reshape economies, strengthen governance, and improve the quality of life for citizens.”