ICT to govt service delivery

ICT could also put the economy on a new trajectory, he said in an address at the launch of the Meraka Institute, an African advanced institute for ICT, at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria.

The 2002 National Research and Development Strategy had identified ICT as a key "technology platform" needing focused attention, said Hanekom.

Notwithstanding South Africa's relatively large IT market, it was clear there was relatively little research and development, with most investment instead in imported technologies.

An ICT Research and Development Strategy yet to be finalised would outline a plan for an enabling framework and innovative environment for the advancement of ICT research and development he said.

"The vision is to make South Africa a vibrant, innovative, inclusive and accessible knowledge society. Our challenge is to create an environment where ICT-based innovation flourishes, originating from differing levels of society," said Hanekom

Achieving this would take a range of intelligent, targeted and determined interventions.

"We must create a supportive environment and find funding mechanisms to give young people the opportunity to work under the leadership of experienced ICT professionals while they are pursuing post graduate qualifications," he said.

Advanced ICT skills development programmes, which included advanced academic qualifications and entrepreneurial orientation, would also have to be established, as would programmes fostering co-operation between industry and academia.

Affirmative programmes were, similarly, vital to promote a more representative population of ICT skilled people.

To get the ICT platform "properly off the ground" research supervisors and students would have to recruited and incentives and "soft attraction factors" developed to retain people in the research and development sector.

"We'll have to consider exchange mechanisms allowing exposure of young researchers to the global research environment and for senior overseas scientists to assist with intellectual and technical leadership provision to young researchers," he said.

Finally, "perhaps most importantly" measures promoting the enrolment of school children, especially girls, in maths and science, and addressing the present poor results in these areas would have to be implemented and strengthened, he added.