Gauteng poised to lead in South Africa's 4th Industrial Revolution
Category Commercial News
South Africa needs to reimagine human life and what it means to be human in the 21st Century - Professor Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University.
Much has been written and said about South Africa's Fourth Industrial Revolution since a summit on the topic was held in the first week of July. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Digital Economy Summit 2019 took place in Midrand, Johannesburg, and was attended by technology companies, executives, and government officials, including the likes of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier, David Makhura.
Important findings emerged from the summit regarding the country's digital revolution and the important role that Gauteng is expected to play in the economy as we move towards a more advanced society. Ultimately, 4IR aims to galvanise South Africans into focusing on new technologies to enhance economic transformation, grow the economy and create more jobs.
Let's unpack this further...
South Africa's 4IR is a partnership between the public and private sectors. It centres on representatives from academia and civil society who are working towards creating an inclusive and cohesive society with skills in:
- Data science
- Analytics
- Additives manufacturing
- Artificial intelligence
- Robotics
- Quantum technologies
Members include Wits University, Telkom, Deloitte, Huawei, Vodacom and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
One of the ways the government is hoping to achieve the goals set out is at a grass-roots level, with the introduction of subjects such as coding and data analytics at primary schools. According to President Ramaphosa, the government aims to train one million young people in data science and related skills by 2030. This will give them the critical skills that they will need to secure jobs in the future.
Speaking at the event, David Makhura, had the following to say about Gauteng's role:
"Our dream is that Gauteng should be a hub of Fourth Industrial Revolution skills and a centre of excellence for digital economy breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and big data."
On the road to achieving this, the province will start by undertaking a R60 billion infrastructure upgrade to improve access to water, sanitation, electricity and roads. Numerous maintenance programmes will be implemented to upgrade a range of public buildings, including schools and hospitals.
Gauteng is the first province in the country to implement an e-government platform and has already proved that it is determined to push the agenda of a more advanced society through the Tshepo One Million Programme. This project aims to provide skills in data science, digital content, 3D printing, cybersecurity, drone piloting, software development and cloud computing to young people. Also, the province's nine eKQasi Labs have been expanded to provide young people living in townships with high-speed broadband to grow their digital skills.
With Gauteng poised to lead the way, businesses will be transformed at rapid rates as new technologies open up new industries. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution spearheading the digital economy, we can expect to see traditional businesses adopting more efficient and smarter processes that are in line with the changing technological landscape. Adding to this, massive upgrades to infrastructure will create an enhanced environment for businesses to operate in.
Establishing or expanding a commercial or industrial business in Gauteng will place owners at a unique advantage as the province takes its place as the leader of the fourth industrial revolution. For those looking to get ahead, speak to our helpful agents from 3CUBE Property Solutions who will guide you in finding your ideal property for your new or growing business.
Author: 3CUBE Property Solutions
