A new Digital Economy Master Plan is being developed to build a sustainable future digital ecosystem enabling South Africa to become a hub of all digital infrastructure serving the African continent.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is preparing to publish the Digital Economy Master Plan, which will look into the entire digital ecosystem, including the digital core, infrastructure, technologies and services.

Speaking during a Ministerial roundtable discussion on digital infrastructure at the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa on June 23, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said the process will be finalised by the end of August.

“The team has informed me that by end of June, we will have a first draft, canvassed with the entire industry,” she explained, noting that the document cuts across all sectors of South Africa’s economy.

As South Africa builds its digital society, it also needs to rebuild its economy, with several interventions currently being formulated.

“There are very clear directives that we can build on as a country,” she commented.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said that she had received a report from the Presidential Commission which will be tabled with Cabinet for approval in due course.

Last year, following a technology-centred State of the Nation address and promises of Fourth Industrial Revolution- (4IR-) focused attention, President Cyril Ramaphosa established a 30-member Presidential Commission on the 4IR in April.

This was followed by the inaugural Digital Economy Summit, held in July, which promised the acceleration of South Africa’s imminent digital disruption to drive growth and revolutionise the economy.

The Presidential Commission, chaired by Ramaphosa, will assist government in taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the digital industrial revolution and identify relevant policies, strategies and action plans that will position South Africa as a competitive global player.

Meanwhile, the Minister expects that by December, the much needed high-demand spectrum will be released.

In July last year, she published the Policy Direction on High Demand Spectrum to enable the industry to respond to the needs of the 4IR, particularly the deployment of robust infrastructure and address the issue of network capacity congestion.

The policy direction has enabled Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to start the process to license high demand spectrum to new entrants and potential new investors in the form of the Wireless Open Access Network, as well as incumbent operators.

Other holders of the relevant electronic communications network licences can also compete for the spectrum earmarked for the industry.

“We spoke to the release, or the licensing of the high demand spectrum, at an auction level, or whatever method they are comfortable with, and an open wholesale system. We want everybody to use the available spectrum,” she said,

The authority must consider some policy objectives when it is moving toward licensing the spectrum, she said, referencing the proposed hybrid model outlined in the policy direction.

“There is value in making sure that people use the spectrum, not only to deliver transformation, but to ensure that even those that have not managed to have access to [previously licensed] spectrum can now have access to it.”

Ndabeni-Abrahams is scheduled to meet with Icasa on June 25 to assess the potential of fast-tracking the process.

“We really would love a situation whereby the spectrum can be released to all, and therefore all the innovators and everybody that needs to use the spectrum, they can have access to it.”