Public-Private partnerships will bridge the divide, says South African Minister
By Thrishni Subramoney


“We have the policy, we have the regulations, we have the legal framework, and yet we don’t get FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). But, why are we always looking outside? That’s the question that African countries need to ask themselves. We have the capacity here on the continent. We just need to harness it”

South African Information and Communications Minister, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri was adamant on this point during her interview with Highway Africa at the Africa Telecom 2004 conference.

Chatting between plenary sessions on the first day of the gathering, the minister said the private sector needs to "get into gear" in order to sustain ICT growth in Africa. She stressed though, that co-operation between countries in the region is another critical aspect to Africa’s IT puzzle.

“There is much to be gained if the private sector came on board – they need to join with us to make this work. But also, countries in this region need to work between themselves to solve our problems.”

On the issue of South Africa’s much anticipated Second National Operator (SNO), Casaburri again places the blame squarely on the shoulders of the private sector. “The technical side has been dealt with, the policy is there, where is the private sector?” she asks with an edge of irritation in her voice.

She didn’t seem convinced that increasing incentives for investors – a route that a few African countries, like Egypt have taken in order to boost the growth of the industry - was the way to go.

“The (South African) Department of Trade and Industry does have incentives in place, but you have to be careful, that in the name of “incentivising” you don’t undermine your own growing industries.”

The latest ITU report that shows the burgeoning growth of cellphone networks in the region had caught her attention, but she says while it is a start, it’s not the ideal route for ICT growth to take.

“Well, cellphones are one more expensive route. But the market in South Africa has grown well beyond our expectations,” she said.

“However, the question is, how can we use this to bring in context. The challenge is that we need to develop content so that it can touch on local concerns,” she adds.

She immediately warms to the topic of local content. “There is such a rich cultural base in South Africa,” she enthuses, “There is a rich spirit that we need to put on to our systems, instead of always consuming foreign media.”

She says rich local content is one of the reasons that South Africa is forging close IT relations with Brazil and India. “Both these countries have made local content into a big business, and we have common ground with them. We have a sizeable Portuguese and Indian communities in South Africa. But it’s not just about common ground, it’s about sharing ideas and co-operation.”

She says ultimately, she would like to see countries in Southern Africa collectively create and share local content. “We have languages in common, and this material will be more meaningful to people living in this area. The big challenge there is that we need build the black capacity, we need educated black people who will stay in the country and build this sector.”

ITU Secretary General, Yoshio Utsumi, said at the opening session that one of the vital ingredients needed for growing the industry in Africa was an independent regulator with teeth.

Matsepe-Casaburri says the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) was working, but was not as strong as it could be.

“One problem with ICASA is that it lacks funding, the government is looking into making it a stronger body.”