Towards a Sustainable Development View of ICT-based Local Content in South Africa

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 ISpolicy communities • Outcome: workshops, research paper (book)

Overview • South Africa • Forthcoming e-strategy • Local content • Sustainable development • Engagement

South Africa • Apartheid legacy: post 1994 … • Issues: • 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

Languages in SA StatsSA 2003

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

Telephone density

National e-strategy • Presidential National Commission on Information Society and Development (PNC on ISAD) working on:ISAD Plan and Implementation Strategy • To create a clear national IS vision for SA to which national, provincial and local govt should align their ICT strategies • To ensure coordination of ICT policies • To maximise the use of ICTs for development in SA

Local content • E-Education • E-Health • SMMEs • E-Govt National e-strategy (cont.) ICT Infrastructure Devp Human Resources Devp Applications Policy Environment

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 • But what about SD-focus in SA?

But … SA has strong SD focus • Constitution, laws, policies, IDPs • Signatory to Agenda 21, MD, WSSD, WSIS • “Sustainable development means the integration of social, economic and environmental factors into planning, implementation and decision-making so as to ensure that development serves present and future generations”(National Environmental Management Act 1998)

Problem! • Culture focus means local content loses its SD impact • Health, education, job creation, environment, agriculture, etc. all have local content

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: Cape Peninsula University of Technology • Government: PNC, CeI, DEADP • CSOs: Empowerment for African Sustainable Development, Environmental Justice Network Forum, Open Knowledge Network, SANGONeT, Bridges.org, Mindset

Impact • Point was acknowledged • Will receive FINAL draft soon • Continue to advise PNC on LC issues

Thank You Steve Vosloo steve@molotech.org.za www.molotech.org.za

Towards a Sustainable Development View of ICT-based Local Content in South Africa