South Africa stands at a pivotal crossroads; how can the nation better harness technology and innovation to address its most pressing challenges, such as unemployment, inequality, and development? Picture: Pixabay
By Tswelopele makoe
PRIOR to our ascent into 2025, the national government assented the SA Post Office (Sapo) Amendment Bill, in a last-ditch effort to reshape the Post Office infrastructure to provide diversified and expanded services.
Although we are yet to see the full extent of this revamp by Sapo, this new bill has shone a stark light on the extent to which digital transformation has reshaped our industries.
South Africa stands at a pivotal crossroads; how can the nation better harness technology and innovation to address its most pressing challenges, such as unemployment, inequality, and development?
This has been a particularly heightened concern in our society since the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Although South Africa’s staggering unemployment rate was slightly alleviated in 2024, the current digital age that we find ourselves in has made it pertinent for nearly every single institute to follow suit.
From agriculture, to education, to entrepreneurship and beyond, there has been critical need for our society to keep up with the rapid evolution of technology.
GPS applications such as Waze, food delivery systems such as Zulzi and Checkers Sixty60, and specialised identification portals for entrance into residential estates and events, are amongst a few examples of what is now being deemed a major component of contemporary South African realities.
However, it is vital that our entire society is afforded the opportunity to follow suite in meeting the technological demands of our increasingly globalised world.
South Africa remains a highly unequal society, and as such, it is critical to earnestly analyse the challenges that we face in light of our ever-changing society.
The reality is that the vast majority of the youth remains unemployed, over half of our entire population still lives below the poverty line, and many of our current societal challenges are being—arguably—compounded by the need for constant technological advancement.
The use of technology in our society goes far beyond social media, or access to entertainment. This is starkly evident during this period. The beginning of the year requires a hefty financial commitment.
From the reopening of schools to the journey into higher education, to participation in the job-seeking market, to transportation, financial services, skills development, and so much more, technology is certainly now entrenched as a vital aspect of navigating daily life in South Africa.
We need to, however, bring focus on the many drawbacks that we are still contending with where technology is concerned. There are still innumerable areas of society where the pertinence of technology is being overlooked, even being wholly ignored.
A prime example is not only the lack of WiFi in certain areas, but also the total lack of access to basic network services as well. What is worse is that this is taking place in places where there is high population traffic, such as healthcare facilities, clinics, bus stops, taxi ranks, public markets, and various informal settlements, to name a few.
This also begs the questions around the practicality of much of our citizenry in participating in the current techno-centred economy. How can children do homework via tablets and laptops when there is no electricity or network services available to their homes and neighbourhoods? How are unemployed people expected to job-hunt when their access to emails and applications are limited?
It seems, at this time, that one’s access to the conveniences of technology is largely dependent on their access to certain areas, compounded by the financial demands of journeying to these “hotspot” areas.
Ultimately, this remains deeply impractical for many in our nation. As such, they are swaying further and further away from the digital world into which we are already intricately entrenched. The question then, is no longer whether technology can make a difference, but how quickly we can leverage it to build a more inclusive and future-ready workforce.
South Africa has the opportunity to harness technology as a powerful tool to address its socio-economic challenges and build a more equitable society. This will not only require critical efforts from our governance, but also a collaborative effort by our society in pin-pointing our needs where technology is concerned.
By investing in digital infrastructure, the country can bridge the major urban-rural divide in South Africa, bringing high-speed internet and access to information to underserved communities.
Technology has been proven to play a transformative role in education, with e-learning platforms offering quality resources to students in remote areas, and various open distance-learning (ODL) programmes that will be vital to providing education beyond special limitations and reducing inequality in educational access.
In healthcare, telemedicine and digital health innovations can improve the quality of care and expand services to rural and impoverished regions. The need for this was epically highlighted in the last quarter of 2024, where high rates of food poisoning and deplorable food safety practices were trending across the entire nation.
Additionally, the adoption of fintech solutions can increase financial inclusion, not only educating many people on strategies for financial literacy and responsibility, but also empowering marginalised communities to access banking services, entrepreneurial opportunities, and so much more.
By fostering innovation, upskilling its workforce, and supporting startups, South Africa can cultivate a thriving tech ecosystem that drives sustainable economic growth, creates jobs, and improves the overall well-being of its citizens.
What is clear is that there is an urgent need for innovative solutions. The rapid evolution of technology presents a unique opportunity to not only create jobs that are demanded by our unique society but also upskill the workforce to meet the demands of a modern, digital economy.
From expanding access to digital services such as online news platforms, online learning platforms, and digital skills development platforms, we would be taking a meaningful swing at breathing new life into our advancing society.
By fostering a thriving tech ecosystem, South Africa has the potential to turn innovation into a driving force for economic growth and social upliftment.
Truly, the world is now at our fingertips, and we should be forging a path towards a brighter future by using the array of technological and digital resources available to us. Ultimately, South Africa's path toward a brighter future hinge on its ability to embrace technological advancement across all sectors.
The integration of digital tools into education, healthcare, finance, business, and beyond, can foster a more inclusive, prosperous society, providing greater opportunities for growth and development for everyone. However, to fully realise the benefits of technology, South Africa must invest in the proper infrastructure, education, and policies that support innovation and digital literacy.
By doing so, our nation will not only overcome its existing challenges but also position itself as a leader in the global digital economy, ensuring a better quality of life for all its citizens.
As Silicon Valley’s philanthropist Ron Conway states: “Technology does more than delight, entertain and make our lives more convenient, it's also an agent for social good.”
It is high time we start treating it as such.
* Tswelopele Makoe is a gender & social justice activist and editor at Global South Media Network. She is a researcher and columnist, published weekly in the Sunday Independent, Independent Online (IOL), Global South Media Network (GSMN.co.za), Sunday Tribune and Eswatini Daily News. She is also an Andrew W Mellon scholar at the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice, UWC. The views expressed are her own.
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