SANGONeT ICTs and Civil Society Conference

In his opening address the Deputy Minister of Communications, Radhakrishna Padayachie, noted that SANGONeT has come quite far in the last twenty years. “It (SANGONeT) was a bright idea then, we all supported the idea. Although we did not know whether it would whether the storm…I am quite thrilled that it is here still.”

Deputy Minister Padayachie argued that the NGO sector and government are bound by a common challenge of strengthening the usage of ICT in all the South African societies. “Poverty and under development constitutes the most critical and central challenges in our societies today.” In this regard, “The notion of a developmental state is critical.”

The Deputy Minister was challenged with the role of talking to the subject of government’s role in ICT development in SA. In answer to this charge, he referred to the second decade of South Africa’s freedom as the time when we should be “Making the practices work in practice.”

He stated that in order for the government to reach the goal of advancement within the state much of the emphasis is placed on ICT development. “We have concentrated our efforts in developing ICTs.” While appraising the issue if ICT and its development in South Africa, he reflected on his own department, stating ICTs are viewed as the driving force in promoting the idea of vigorous debate and dialogue to achieve the kind of outcomes we (government) want to achieve.

The Deputy Minister spoke of partnership between government, private sector and civil society in building an ICT oriented society. He referred to three ways in which civil society can engage with government:

2008 Conference in SA World New Media Summit Award which will assess the contribution of civil society in international arena. Extended invitation to NGOs in ICT to join hands with the department in forming a steering committee for the conference.
Build a credible and legitimate voice in ICT oriented NGOs. He spoke of a forum that needs a credible voice of civil society, the African Ministers Forum. He noted that his department would like to partner with ICT NGOs to develop a civil society voice in the continent of Africa.
Collaborate with department in executing a programme, an inter-governmental programme for ICTs for all that will make reality a vision of an information society.