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iNingizimu Afrika yamukele ubuchwepheshe njengamathuluzi okuqamba okusha, ukukhula komnotho kanye nokuvikela ubukhosi bezwe, kugqame kakhulu engqungqutheleni ye-GovTech 2025 kanye ne-SITA Conference.
Izikhulu zikahulumeni zigcizelele ukubaluleka kokwakha umnotho wedijithali ohlanganisayo futhi ozimele.
Enkulumeni ka Nqonqoshe Blade Nzimande kwiSITA Conference yesi-16, uNgqongqoshe Wezesayensi Ubuchwepheshe Nokusungula u Nzimande uthe uguquko lwedijithali kumele luhambisane nokuvikelwa kobukhosi bezwe. Ubalule ukuthi ubuchwepheshe sebuyiguqule impilo yansuku zonke ngokusungulwa kwe-inthanethi, omakhalekhukhwini, i-5G, izimoto zikagesi kanye nobuhlakani bokwenziwa (AI).
“Ubuhlakani bokwenziwa sebuyashintsha indlela esihamba ngayo, sifunda ngayo, sithola ngayo ukunakekelwa kwezempilo, ngisho nendlela amabhange avikela ngayo amakhasimende,” kusho u Nzimande. Kodwa uxwayise ukuthi ubuchwepheshe abunankathalo, ngoba sebusetshenziswa kwezinye izindawo ukuhlonza abantu, ukubhekwa kwezombusazwe, ngisho nasezimpi zomhlaba.
Uthe kunezinto ezintathu ezisemqoka okumele zibhekwe: umthelela wobuchwepheshe emphakathini, izinselele zokwamukelwa kobuchwepheshe, kanye nesidingo sokuthuthukisa amakhono wedijithali aseNingizimu Afrika. Wavuma ukuthi amazwe amaningi asathuthuka abhekene nobunzima bokungalingani ekwamukeleni ubuchwepheshe, okusho ukuthi ahluleka ukubhekana nezinguquko zesimo sezulu, izifo ezizalayo kanye nezinhlelo zomnotho.
Uveze futhi ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika izibophezele ku-Decadal Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (2022–2032), egxile ekuthuthukiseni ubuchwepheshe ku-AI, i-robotics, i-Internet of Things, ukuvikeleka kwedijithali, i-virtual & augmented reality, kanye nezinhlelo zokulingisa. Lolu hlelo luxhaswa yi-CSIR kanye ne-Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) emanyuvesi omphakathi.
Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ekusethulweni kwe-GovTech 2025, uNdunankulu waKwaZulu-Natal, uThamsanqa Ntuli, ugcizelele ukuthi ubukhosi bedijithali kufanele bubhekwe njengengcebo yezwe. Uthe isifundazwe sakhe kanye nezwe lonke kumele sikwazi ukulawula idatha, amapulatifomu kanye nekusasa ledijithali ngokuzimela.
“Ubukhosi bedijithali akusilo iphupho lobuchwepheshe kuphela; kuyisidingo esibalulekile ukuze sakhe umnotho ohlanganisayo, ozimele futhi ozoncintisana,” kusho uNtuli. Uxwayise ukuthi uguquko lwedijithali lungabukwa njengento yesibili, wathi izwe kumele litshale kakhulu ebantwini nasekubuchwephesheni. Ubalule iSingapore neNingizimu Korea njengezifundo lapho impumelelo yabo isekelwe ekutshalweni kwemfundo nasekubuchwephesheni, hhayi ezimayini kuphela.
Uqhubeke wathi kudingeka kubekwe phambili imfundo, amakhono edijithali kanye nezindawo zokusungula ukuze uguquko lwedijithali luzuze wonke umuntu. “Ikusasa lethu ledijithali kufanele libhidlize izikhala, hhayi ukuzijula,” kugcizelele yena, eqinisekisa ukuzibophezela kukahulumeni wakhe ekwakheni iKwaZulu-Natal ehlanganisayo, echumayo futhi encintisanayo.
Izikhulu zombili ziphinde zagcizelela ukuthi ukufinyelela kudatha kuyisihluthulelo soshintsho. UNgqongqoshe uthe lokhu kuyisihluthulelo “sokuhlanganisa abantu emnothweni,” exwayisa ngokuthi kungavela okuthiwa “i-apartheid yedijithali.” UNtuli naye uthe umnotho wedijithali kufanele usebenzele imiphakathi futhi udale amathuba alinganayo.
Engqungqutheleni yeSITA, eseyiminyaka engu-16, kubuye kwaqinisekiswa ukuthi iyipulatifomu ebalulekile yokuxoxa indima yobuchwepheshe bokusungula ekuguquleni uhulumeni, umphakathi kanye nomnotho waseNingizimu Afrika.
