https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

ICT White Paper to bring certainty for digital development

Telecommunications Minister Siyabonga Cwele

Telecommunications Minister Siyabonga Cwele

3rd October 2016

By: Natasha Odendaal

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

Font size: - +

Six years after its initiation, the National Integrated Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Policy White Paper has crossed its final procedural milestone – approval by Cabinet.

The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services plans to be guided by the policies contained within the White Paper for the next decade to lay the foundation for modern communications infrastructure access and services and narrow the digital divide.

The document, which was given the green light by Cabinet last week and which is set to be released in due course, will effectively provide a platform for the amendment of applicable laws where necessary under a legislative programme and enable the establishment of new proposed structures or institutions in line with the ambitions of the National Development Plan.

“For the first time, this policy is creating a baseline measure of local ICT statistics that will reduce our reliance on international studies,” Telecommunications Minister Dr Siyabonga Cwele noted over the weekend.

As government aims to facilitate faster shared economic growth, service delivery improvement and radical societal transformation through ICT development, the White Paper is expected to bring more certainty to and within the market, and measure the progress being made in closing the digital gap.

“It sets out the framework of how government wants . . . to facilitate the entry of new players and meaningful participation of all citizens, including those in rural areas,” he added.

The in-depth policy programme created an ecosystem that would help identify ICT infrastructure and service gaps and the related causes and potential solutions, as well as direct government and private sector investment into these areas, besides others, Cwele concluded.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Latest Multimedia

Photo of Martin Creamer
On-The-Air (08/05/2026)
Updated 3 hours ago By: Martin Creamer

Showroom

Iritron
Iritron

Iritron delivers advanced automation, control, and optimisation solutions to the Mining, Minerals & Metals, Consumer Package Goods and...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa is sole distributors for Goodwin electrically driven, submersible, abrasion resistance slurry pumps.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 08 May 2026
Magazine round up | 08 May 2026
8th May 2026

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.054 0.089s - 149pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now