Cisco to invest R140m to help make SA 4IR ready
US it company Cisco will invest R140m over the next three years to support digitisation in South Africa as the country readies for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Communications, Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams announced the Memorandum of Understanding at a breakfast hosted by Brand SA on Thursday. The event is on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Africa, being held in Cape Town this week. The forum sees business leaders across Africa coming together to discuss economy-related matters, such as ensuring inclusive growth in the face of 4IR.
Delivering a keynote address, Ndabeni-Abrahams, who dubbed herself as the “commander” of 4IR for the country stressed the importance of developing partnerships for investment in the technology space.
“We need a capable 4IR army. There can’t be a revolution without an army, that is why I am the commander,” she said. To build the “army” relevant skills are needed for 4IR and that requires investment, she explained.
In December 2018 Ndabeni-Abrahams met with the Cisco leadership team at a global citizen roundtable held in Sandton. Government laid out its goals for developing capabilities for 4IR. They also discussed developing an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, she said.
“If we are to lead a successful 4IR there are three things we must focus on – coordinate, collaborate and execute. If we work in silos we won’t be successful, we need to complement each other,” she said before announcing the collaboration with Cisco, which is headquartered in California.
Read the full story on: News24.