Speaking in Cape Town at the opening of the Women's Mutingati, an international conference on women and the information society, she told delegates the poor needed the opportunity to "connect and become part of a rapidly-growing world.
"There is a need to ensure broader access (to ICT) for all."
Mutingati is a Tshivenda word meaning "coming together and joining hands".
The conference, which ends on Friday, is set to focus on issues such as women and poverty, health, violence, and the economy, among others.
It is being held ahead of the World Summit on Information Society, set to be held in Tunis in November this year.