4IRSA IS A PLATFORM THAT CREATES SPACE FOR STIMULATING DIALOGUE, UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION TO SHAPE A COHERENT 4IR PLAN FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
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4IRSA IS A PLATFORM THAT CREATES SPACE FOR STIMULATING DIALOGUE, UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION TO SHAPE A COHERENT 4IR PLAN FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
South Africa partnership (4IRSA)
is an alliance between partners
from the public and private
sectors, academia and civil society.
The 4IRSA partnership seeks to
develop an inclusive, coherent,
national response to the Fourth
Industrial Revolution for South
Africa, based on research.
4IRSA’s approach is:
Human-centered Inclusive and diverse Fact-based Progressive, coherent
(not tech-centered) and convergent
Open Supported Facilitated and curated Structured
Contents
Our Journey 4
Our Commitments 6
Our Governance Structure 7
Our Purpose 7
Our Partners 8
Our Themes 10
Our Roadmap 12
Our Sector Workshops 14
Report: Public Sector Workshop 16
Report: ICT Sector Workshop 18
Report: Agriculture, Foodstuffs and
Related Retail Services Workshop 20
Report: Heavy Industry, Mining,
Infrastructure and Manufacturing
Sector Workshop 22
Report: Business and Financial
Services Sector Workshop 24
4IRSA IS A PLATFORM THAT CREATES SPACE FOR STIMULATING DIALOGUE,
Emerging Questions in the Lead Up
UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION TO SHAPE A COHERENT 4IR PLAN FOR SOUTH AFRICA. to the Digital Economy Summit 26
3
Our Journey
10 June 2018
The 4IRSA initiative was founded in June 2018 Department of Telecommunications and
in response to a public call to action by Telkom Postal Services (DTPS), has become an Cyril Ramaphosa - President, African National Congress (ANC)
Group CEO Sipho Maseko, who was then integral part of the initiative. Mmusi Maimane - Leader, Democratic Alliance (DA)
challenged by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Bantu Holomisa - President, United Democratic Movement (UDM)
take the process forward. Deloitte has come on board as a partner and Julius Malema - Commander in Chief, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
discussions are ongoing with several other Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi - President, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
The vice-chancellors of the universities of industry players to become involved. They Mosiuoa Lekota - President, Congress of the People (COPE)
the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and Fort include Vodacom and Hauwei.
Hare responded to the call and with Telkom, Dear Sirs,
formed the initial 4IRSA partnership. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South
African Cabinet have endorsed 4IRSA and the Last year, I met with each of you to discuss the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Subsequently, the South Af rican Digital Economy Summit being hosted by This week we were informed that our economy shrunk more than 2% in the first
government, represented through the the initiative. quarter of 2018, the worst decline in almost a decade. This should jolt us into action.
One way of doing this is to release spectrum to unlock value and set the country on a
trajectory to participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Like the rest of the world, South Africa is changing before our very eyes. New devices,
solutions and apps are introduced almost daily. This requires new skill and businesses
that impact on how we interact with friends and family. This trend is irreversible.
The digital economy brings unparalleled efficiencies to the agriculture, manufacturing,
retail and mining sectors globally. It demands investment in high-value skills, matching
technology, abundant and advanced ICT infrastructure. The digital economy is now a
major contributor to the gross domestic products of advanced economies.
The question is: what should South Africa do to participate in this economy and avoid
the long-term adverse effect of exclusion?
We must urgently discuss the digital economy so that we develop and distribute
available resources to unlock benefit for all South Africans. Resources like spectrum,
which is a high impact, finite and scarce national resource, are at the heart of unlocking
value across all sectors in the digital economy. We need to use it and other resources at
our disposal, to ensure that we enable long-term economic growth.
Let’s have a national conversation for the benefit of South Africa.
Kind Regards
Sipho Maseko
Group CEO
4 5
Our Commitments Our Governance Structure
4IRSA is committed to helping to shape a incomplete, and given the interconnectedness A steering committee comprising of the entities where specialist skills are required.
national response to 4IR in South Africa. It has of impacts of 4IR, it is unlikely to achieve vice-chancellors of the universities and senior
to be a coherent response so that the manifold positive sustainable outcomes. And finally, it representatives of each of the partners meets A Secretariat has been established to give
and diverse elements of the response, executed needs to be a response, not merely a plan. The regularly to shape the agenda and framework. effect to the 4IRSA strategy. Objectives
by various role-players, are mutually supportive, plan needs to be put into action, with progress It provides direction to an operational and consideration are being given to
complementary and non-duplicative. If there is and outcomes measured against the plan, and committee, which includes members drawn the institutionalisation, capacitation and
no coherence to a national response, it will be emphasis on action, not just ideation. from the partner institutions and external organisational structure of the Secretariat.
Cabinet
Statement
15 FEBRUARY 2019
The global move towards technology
inspired by the 4IR brings with
it new opportunities to build our
society and economy. To remain at
the forefront of new technological
trends, the country will host the
Digital Economy Summit in 2019.
The Summit is convened under
the banner of 4IR South Africa
(4IRSA), a partnership between the
Department of Telecommunications
and Postal Services, Telkom, the
University of the Witwatersrand, the
University of Johannesburg and the Our Purpose
University of Fort Hare.
4IRSA serves to stimulate and facilitate an – a 4IRSA partner. 4IRSA recognises that
4IRSA aims to address the challenges inclusive dialogue to shape a coherent national there are several 4IR-related processes and
facing South Africa in the digital response to 4IR in South Africa, and how we dialogues underway in the public and private
age so as to find a coherent and can work with the rest of the continent on the sectors, academia, labour and society at large.
collective response for the country. digital revolution. It aims to complement and However, these are in the main, fragmented,
support other national activities relating to 4IR, eclectic, and divergent – essentially a silo
On 20 June 2019, President Cyril most notably the Presidential Commission on approach.
Ramaphosa was clear in his State of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
the Nation Address that to bolster 4IRSA aims to provide a common platform
economic growth, create jobs and The commission is assisting the government to connect these entities and processes
close the inequality gap, 4IR would on how to take advantage of 4IR and its through shared conversations, thereby
have to factor in many sectors of Deputy Chairperson is Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, facilitating progressive coherence towards
the economy. who is from the University of Johannesburg complementarity on a 4IR strategy.
6 7
Our Critical Constituencies
Our Difference
The 4IR will impact on every part of the economy and society and it is therefore essential for all 4IRSA recognises that many of the
constituencies to be part of the dialogue that will formalise South Africa’s collective response. debates relating to 4IR are not sufficiently
fact-based, frequently anecdotal and
often emotional. The 4IRSA partnership,
underpinned by the participation of the
universities, aspires to provide a strong
research foundation based on facts,
rooted in the South African context,
around which the complex discourses of
a response to 4IR can develop.
Why 4IR?
There is sometimes debate
whether the term 4IR is a
Our Partners
particular partisan perspective or
passing phase and that one could
equally locate the process around
different models, for example
Now that 4IR has been recognised in South Africa as a way of achieving
Japan’s “Society 5.0”, or perhaps
positive change on the economy and society, it is vital for all constituencies “Digitalisation”, another common
to play a part in formulating South Africa’s response. Specifically, 4IRSA term used to describe the process
has sought, and continues to seek, active participation from: of dramatic change to the
nature and conduct of business
• government (a broad cross section of departments and and its impact in the market
institutions), and society. Most contributors,
• industry (key players and representative associations however, would concur that the
term 4IR has significant currency
and professional bodies),
at the moment and that it is
• small businesses and entrepreneurs, an established concept which
• labour, provides for a departure point
• academia, of shared understanding and
• civil society, meaning. The 4IRSA Partnership
• relevant international entities like the World Economic has therefore decided to use the
term 4IR as the initial descriptor
Forum and the International Labour Organization, and
of our departure point.
• the media.
8 9
Our Themes
In order to facilitate a coherent dialogue, 4IRSA has adopted a
thematic framework comprising the following elements:
Competitiveness, Employment and the Society, State and Opportunities Critical Success
Concentration Future of Work Citizen Factors
and Inequality
One of the key objectives The opportunities and The 4IR, with the blurring of The 4IR holds the promise Critical success factors will need
of a response to the 4IR is challenges associated with the so-called cyber-physical of enabling emerging to be delivered. These must be
to ensure that South Africa technological disruption, boundaries, has the potential economies to “leapfrog” identified, prioritised, quantified
enhances its competitiveness is its impact on the nature to radically reshape the way hurdles to accelerate and planned, and they will have
in the global digital economy. of work, changing skills society, state and citizen development. It is critical to be monitored and assured.
This entails dissolving requirements and changing interact. This applies equally that this is realised through
apparent contradictions, in employment patterns and to the businesses within that identifying credible high These will include:
simultaneously creating South models. Our response to the society and their employees impact opportunities for
African “superstar firms”, 4IR needs to be based on a (their “business citizens”). South Africa and developing • Getting “the basics right”
ensuring intense domestic better understanding of the Early signals of increased ambitious, but realistic including policy and
competition and creating positive and negative impacts polarisation, alienation and responses to these proposals. regulatory certainty; capable
opportunities for Small and of automation, to frame digital anti-social behaviour regulation; great macro-
Medium Enterprises (SMEs), relevant skills development and can already be seen globally. These include export growth factors like savings rates and
especially those from previously migration strategies, a focus Moral and political questions opportunities; identifying and inflation, policy execution
excluded parts of our economy. on job creating segments, and relating to the emergence of participating in emerging effectiveness and delivery;
inform mechanisms to mitigate so-called social-scoring need future global growth sector level (non-digital)
Furthermore, evidence shows job losses. to be explored. New frontiers segments; developing productivity growth; sector
that digitalisation is also in ethics, legal frameworks platforms to include SMEs level competitive intensity;
associated with increased and regulation are already in national and global and SMB participation share,
concentration, which being exposed. It is vital that value chains; transforming • Critical infrastructure
consequently threatens the South African response healthcare; transforming development including
to increase inequality. The acknowledges these shifts education; and increasing digital, financial, physical, “THERE IS
dialogue and our response, and proactively positions the domestic contribution to 4IR innovation and knowledge
therefore, needs to pursue country “ahead of the game”, markets and ecosystems, infrastructures, STRONG
simultaneous goals of rather than being reactive and while reducing dependency • Skills and upskilling must
enhancing South Africa’s lethargic. on global digital-economy be identified for the next DIVERSITY
national and industrial
competitiveness, in a fair and
participants. two decades, how they
should be taught, the role AMONGST THE
inclusive manner which will
address the country’s extreme
of online education, how
do we deliver the correct
PARTICIPATING
inequality levels. It is imperative
that the opportunities inherent
primary, secondary and
tertiary education and skills
STAKEHOLDERS,
in the 4IR are fully grasped development and outcomes, BUT SHARED
by government, industry, and and
labour, But it also ultimately • Earning from other COMMON
must benefit broader society. emerging economies.
GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES.”
10 11
Our Roadmap
The Summits are the Milestones in the 4IRSA Journey
Get Started Broaden Participation Digital Economy Summit Elaboration Summit of Declarations Towards Execution
• Form the partnership • Sector workshops: • Share sector workshop • Develop strategy and • Consolidate workstreams • Monitoring and
• Establish the Secretariat –– Government and outputs policy responses into a coherent national evaluation
• Formulate framework public research • Build alignment • Enhance research base response • Ongoing research
• Start research agenda bodies • Elevate profile • Continue to broaden • Commit to declarations • Ongoing dialogue
• Government involvement –– ICT • Agree on critical focus inputs • Agree on monitoring and
–– Financial and and further discussion • Start converging evaluation mechanisms
business services areas positions • Agree on future
ecosystem • Pledges to commit to • Formulate draft pathways
–– Commodities, further participation and declarations
manufacturing and dialogue
heavy infrastructure
ecosystem
–– Food, agriculture
and retail related
ecosystem
• Industry key players
and associations,
relevant government
departments, labour,
academia, civil society,
global organisations
• Workshops and
individual engagement
• Research and position
papers
• Establish discussion
platform
12 13
The workshop concluded with a willingness to • unions,
share processes more widely and to seek better • water, and
coherence between the various 4IR initiatives • wholesale and retail services.
across the public sector.
Heavy Industry, Mining, Infrastructure
ICT Sector and Manufacturing
An ICT sector workshop was held on 24 January This workshop was held on 26 March 2019 and
2019 and included key representatives from: welcomed delegates from the following sectors:
• fixed and wireless telecommunications • mining, minerals beneficiation and
companies; processing,
• IT system integrators and service providers; • energy,
• industry associations; • bulk transport,
• original equipment manufacturers; • manufacturing and distribution,
• global digital companies; • wholesale and retail trade,
• Over-The-Top service providers; • research and development, and
• local entrepreneurs; • engineering and technical activities.
• regulators and the
• Department of Communications, Financial and
Telecommunications and Postal Services. Business Services
Our Sector Workshops Agriculture, Foodstuffs and Related The Financial and Business Services Workshop
Retail Services was held on 2 April 2019 and included
participants from the following sectors:
In the lead up to the Digital Economy Summit, including education, healthcare, safety and
An agriculture, foodstuffs and related retail
several sectoral workshops were held to: security, and the media.
services workshop was held on 19 March • banking,
2019 and included leading public and private • insurance,
• share the 4IRSA partnership framework, Public Sector
representatives from the following sectors: • real estate,
process and aspirations,
• legal,
• explore sectoral disruption narratives to A public sector workshop was held on 16
• agriculture, • accounting and professional services,
develop shared insight into modes of November 2018 to discuss different initiatives
• food and beverage, • general business services, and
disruption and possible industry impacts, in various government departments and
• manufacturing and distribution, • wholesale and intermediation services.
• initiate dialogue and obtain first level state institutions, and to explore the feasibility,
inputs across the five themes, with specific desirability and mechanisms for aligning
reference to sector-specific issues, and these processes.
• discuss follow-up strategies and the
roadmap to the Digital Economy Summit. Participants included senior representatives
from the:
Participation in these workshops included
leading establishments and experts from • Department of Telecommunications and
the public and private sectors, academia, Postal Services,
researchers, labour and civil society. It • Department of Science and Technology,
also included promising newcomers and • Department of Trade and Industry,
disruptors, regulators, industry associations • Department of Public Service and
and 4IRSA representatives. Administration,
• South African Reserve Bank,
The workshops covered sectors which • Human Sciences Research Council,
collectively generate more than 70% of the • Council for Scientific and Industrial
total output of the South African economy, Research,
96% of exports, and more than two-thirds • Innovation Hub,
of total employment. 4IRSA recognises that • World Economic Forum, and the 4IRSA
other critical sectors still need to be engaged, Partnership.
14 15
FEEDBACK FROM DISCUSSIONS
BY THEMATIC AREA
• Various government departments and
agencies were invited to provide an account
of their work relating to their readiness and
planning for 4IR.
• Each government department has multiple
units and programmes that interface with
4IR, many of which are in the planning
stages.
• Government departments have strong
collaborations with global partners on
4IR, such as the World Economic Forum,
the International Telecommunications
Union (ITU) and the International Labour
Organization.
• There is a need for collaboration within
and across government departments, to
ensure lack of duplication of efforts, the
strengthening of local and international
partnerships and the development of a
central suite of policies that speaks to 4IR.
• Many of the interactions duplicate efforts in
EACH GOVERNMENT government. For example, the Department
of Trade and Industry is establishing a Centre
DEPARTMENT HAS for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network,
MULTIPLE UNITS AND the Department of Telecommunications
and Postal Services is developing
PROGRAMMES THAT partnerships with the ITU to institute South
INTERFACE WITH 4IR, Africa’s Digital Transformation Centre whilst
the Department of Science and Technology
MANY OF WHICH ARE IN has entrenched 4IR in the new draft white
THE PLANNING STAGES. paper on science and technology.
16 17REDACTED FEEDBACK FROM DISCUSSIONS
BY THEMATIC AREA
Competitiveness, Concentration, Employment and the Society, State and Citizen
Fairness and Equality Future of Work
• Government, industry and in particular
• South Africa should develop policies • The ICT sector must be ready to
the business and ICT sectors, including
that incentivise organisations to explore attract and embrace new talent and
entrepreneurs must work collectively to
emerging technologies and encourage ideas, expose communities to the
harmonise various infrastructures. The state
them to be localised. Our economy should technology and the problems that
should democratise services by building
encourage the development of new they can solve with it, and also rethink
a centralised, standardised platform of
digitally enabled services, which should how they recruit, retain and upskill
services in various departments such as
be recognised as new sub-sectors – for talent.
health, education and home affairs that are
example, e-waste management, chatbots
accessible by all citizens, in order to bridge
and robotics. • Learning institutes must change their
the gap of information poverty.
teaching methods by leveraging what
• South Africa should encourage the is already in existence and gamify
• There is a need to improve policy-
development of “superstar firms” to attract teaching methods to align with the
making procedures to speed up the
new advanced digital talent from across global 4IR.
adoption of technology and to accelerate
Africa and position the country as the
standardisation and innovation, whilst
African hub for digitally savvy ICT talent. The • Internships and scholarships should
ensuring that these are accessible to all.
existence of Amazon, IBM, Microsoft and be reviewed through addressing the
Google in the country is a good start. employability problem, understanding
• All citizens must be empowered to embrace
the critical enablers in the workplace
4IR and to reduce the burden on the state
• The country is in need of clear and flexible, and reviewing the next wave of skills
to secure critical services.
proactive policies that will accelerate the required for 4IR.
development of a conducive environment
to enable South Africa to grow the skills • A change in the country’s policies is
needed for 4IR in adequate measure. urgently needed, taking into account
LEARNING INSTITUTES
that people can learn and work MUST CHANGE THEIR
• Government should strive for adaptive virtually, in non-traditional workplaces.
regulations that encourage investment in TEACHING METHODS
progressive ICT infrastructure like 5G, IoT, • Organisations are implored to BY LEVERAGING
fibre, data centres and data sciences. empower employees with new,
relevant skills to address 4IR both in WHAT IS ALREADY
• Industry should look at diversifying markets
in the face of competition, by building
South Africa and beyond.
IN EXISTENCE AND
“superstar firms”, embracing disruptive • Education systems must introduce GAMIFY TEACHING
technology to tackle competition, and to new digital learning elements in
position South Africa as the silicon valley of schools and universities to support the
METHODS TO ALIGN
the continent and a global 4IR player. digital transition into the workplace. WITH THE GLOBAL 4IR.
18 19Report: Agriculture, Foodstuffs and
Related Retail Services Workshop
REDACTED FEEDBACK FROM DISCUSSIONS
BY THEMATIC AREA
Competitiveness, Concentration, agriculture and related sectors. For • There needs to be a shift in the relationship • Businesses should work for people through
Fairness and Equality example, artificial intelligence can between workers, workers’ unions, and developing e-portals that generate
been used to improve the predictability executive management in companies and transparency in the value chain, whilst
• South Africa’s quality of food is globally of decisions; machine learning and organisations, and better collaboration ensuring data privacy laws.
competitive as the country has the right augmented reality can be used to between these social actors in order to work
climate, arable soil and natural conditions improve the training of farmers and towards a shared set of values and common • There is a need to use reliable data to
for growth. For example, South Africa is one workers; Blockchain technology can be goals pertaining to 4IR. inform food regulatory policies and
of three countries that are black-spot free. used to improve traceability and trust standards in order to ensure that regulation
South Africa’s standards bodies are mature in South African food; and drone and • Adequate and meaningful collaboration stays apace with advancements in food and
and help the country maintain a high satellite technologies, coupled with the between large industry players and smaller agriculture technology.
quality of produce. Internet of Things can be used to enhance entrepreneurs is essential to build an
environmental sustainability. inclusive community.
• The country’s positioning gives us better OPPORTUNITIES LIE IN
access to global markets than other
African countries.
Employment and the Future of Work Society, State and Citizen
“FARMING 365” WHEREBY
• A shift in the education and continuous • Initiatives that ensure that no one is left 4IR CAN HELP FARMERS
• Opportunities lie in “farming 365” whereby
4IR can help farmers to operate farms
upskilling of workers in this industry will behind should be developed, which include TO OPERATE FARMS
result in more independent workers who empowering agricultural communities with
around the world from within our borders are better equipped at performing their digital literacy skills. AROUND THE WORLD
and vice-versa. roles. This could also result in workers FROM WITHIN OUR
specialising in certain areas and being • The empowerment of citizens through secure,
• It must be recognised that 4IR has helped able to work on multiple farms where this reliable and interoperable digital identities is
BORDERS AND
South Africa to amplify its strengths in specialty skill is needed. essential as well as lowering the cost of data. VICE-VERSA.
20 21jobs that no longer exist. The transition of
REDACTED FEEDBACK FROM DISCUSSIONS people from the jobs of today to the jobs
BY THEMATIC AREA of tomorrow must be deliberately enabled
by targeted skills development, with
appropriate safety nets for those who cannot
Competitiveness, Concentration, be transitioned to new roles.
Fairness and Equality
Society, State and Citizen
• South Africa’s 4IR levers for competitiveness
include increasing utilisation of the Internet • These sectors seek to embrace the shared
of Things, machine learning, automation, goal for developing a sustainable and
and digital trade to drive productivity, trusting society that leaves no person
improve strategic decision-making and behind. There is a need to enhance
build industries that support product and community exposure to 4IR, to provide
service provision of these key technologies access to opportunities, and to work
to the mining and manufacturing sectors. towards developing technologies that
enhance socio-economic development.
• This requires a conscious effort
towards developing an innovative and • Whilst the role of higher education is
entrepreneurial approach, technical and ICT essential in moving South Africa forward
skills, as well secure, safe, affordable energy. in terms of 4IR, there is a need to develop
This is ultimately underpinned by the will technology-based skills development
of political leaders to drive 4IR through across the education spectrum. The use of
collaboration and a coherent supportive technology should fast track connecting
policy framework. people who want work, with opportunities
that exist, and not to limit these opportunities
Employment and the Future of Work to the formal construct of full-time jobs.
• Some of the expected labour shifts include
the increased requirements for artisanal
SOME OF THE EXPECTED
and technically abled people, as well LABOUR SHIFTS INCLUDE
as specialist capabilities, both linked to THE INCREASED
increased production and the utilisation
• of new technologies. REQUIREMENTS
FOR ARTISANAL AND
• ICT skills development should be more
broad-based and inclusive, requiring
TECHNICALLY ABLED
workforce ecosystem structures to move PEOPLE, AS WELL AS
quickly, so that no person is left behind.
SPECIALIST CAPABILITIES,
• The automation of manual work is expected BOTH LINKED TO
to result in a potential reduction in repetitive INCREASED PRODUCTION
and heavily manual tasks. A focus is required
on supplementary job creation in other parts AND THE UTILISATION OF
of the value chain to redirect and absorb NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
22 23SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE EARLY
ADOPTERS OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND REGULATORS
IN THE COUNTRY ARE OPEN TO 4IR INITIATIVES.
REDACTED FEEDBACK FROM • There is also a need to develop skills and to
retrain affected workers. At the same time,
DISCUSSIONS BY THEMATIC AREA
this presents an opportunity to rethink how
Competitiveness, Concentration, financial services are offered in the country
Fairness and Inequality by tapping into new models for financial
advisory services.
• South African financial institutions are
early adopters of digital technology and State, Society and Citizen
regulators in the country are open to
4IR initiatives. • There are three main principles that should
be adopted: “Leave no person behind”,
• The current oligopoly of banks can be “Make business work for people” and “Build
displaced with smaller fintech players. new rules for a new game”.
Digital services are helping to simplify the
“Know Your Customer” process and are • One of the most prevalent reasons for people
defining new payment trails. They are also being excluded from financial systems is
helping to improve the benefits of peer-to- the stringency of FICA requirements and in
peer lending. particular the need for proof of a physical
address. 4IR provides opportunities to
• There is an opportunity for South Africa leverage available technology like Blockchain
to differentiate its financial offering using or geotagging to resolve this problem.
digital services. It can appeal to different
market segments with African-specific • The current financial system needs to
constraints like the need for access to credit. embrace the principle of “Segment of 1”,
This could serve as a competitive advantage providing mass customisation to better
that would establish South Africa as an meet the needs of customers, tailored to
African hub for digital financial services. their individuals needs and preferences,
using a rule-based system to help customers
Future of Work and Employment make informed choices.
• The roles of many people in financial • South Africa is fertile ground for innovative
services roles are in decline like back solutions in the sector. However, there
office roles, first line credit managers is a need to adapt and to help scale and
and knowledge workers and there is a commercialise these opportunities in order
need to change employee and employer to ensure that business and service practices
approaches to better understand the talk to the unique South African cultural
implications of 4IR. norms like Ubuntu.
24 25Emerging Questions in the Lead Up
to the Digital Economy Summit
Overarching Questions
• What can South Africa learn from the • Which services create the greatest tension
superstar firms built to date? How can the for citizens? How can 4IR change the way in
country enable pockets of excellence to which they are delivered?
thrive and leverage 4IR? How can South
Africa connect into value chains and • Which are the critical areas of infrastructure
evolving ecosystems? to standardise? Where is there a need to
build bridges and to connect citizens to the
• What special incentives and structures can state and society through 4IR? Agriculture, Foodstuffs and Related • How does South Af rica ensure growth of
South Africa create to drive the adoption Retail Services the automotive sector and build smart
of 4IR and new technologies? How will cities amidst a potential, disruptive
suitable zones be selected? • How does South Africa build knowledge change towards electric and autonomous
systems to leverage the institutional vehicles?
• How can South Africa leverage on the work knowledge, for example, for climate change
by other research entities like the Human and its impact on farming and distribution, • How is South Africa able to attract
Sciences Research Council’s “Skills Plan” to respond better to changes? investment in new manufacturing facilities
or the CSIR’s “Future of Work” reports in and digital trade platforms that embrace
concert with industry-specific demands to • What are the local consumption behaviour more connected interaction models
transition workforces for 4IR? trends for the future, which will better between consumers and manufacturers?
inform production strategies that can be
• How can legislation reform be driven to supported locally in a sustainable manner? Finance and Business
respond to the future of work, with the
changing nature of workplaces, contracting • What are some of the strategies or enablers • What are some of the important
and work? to identify opportunities to improve food characteristics of the Fintech sandbox
retail supply chains to reduce the cost of we would like to create to help grow new
ICT logistics and wastage? businesses?
• How is South Africa positioned to compete Heavy Materials, Mining, Infrastructure • What data exists to support better use of
against global counterparts in the gig and Manufacturing AI in the sector and how should they be
economy? How far should the country go to governed?
protect and/or cultivate the gig economy? • What are the opportunities to promote
How can South Africa position its successes plant modernisation and exploration in • How do we gain a deeper understanding of
regionally and globally? manufacturing and mining respectively? the trust people place in financial products/
solutions and how can this be fostered
• How can 4IR technologies help to • How does South Africa ensure a sustainable to encourage more responsible financial
accelerate public consultation processes demand for one of its key resources like behaviour to be supported by alternative
and improve the adoption of 4IR initiatives? pure gold mining? solutions?
26 27“SOUTH AFRICA HAS
CHOSEN TO BE A COUNTRY
OF THE FUTURE AT A
TIME WHEN THE WORLD
IS CHANGING AT A PACE
AND IN A MANNER THAT IS
Towards the Digital Economy Summit UNPRECEDENTED IN HUMAN
and the Summit of Declarations HISTORY. REVOLUTIONARY
ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY
The objectives of the Summit are to:
ARE RESHAPING THE WAY
• build alignment, participation and PEOPLE WORK AND LIVE.
momentum for the 4IRSA process,
• share sector workshop outputs,
• agree on areas that require further research
and deliberation, and
• enable delegates to pledge further
participation and dialogue.
Summit of Declarations
A second summit, currently termed the
Summit of Declarations, will be held a year
The Digital Economy Summit is a platform after the Digital Economy Summit.
that seeks to accelerate the development of
an inclusive, coherent, national response to The objectives of the Summit of Declarations
the Fourth Industrial Revolution for South are to:
Africa, based on research. This Summit will
bring together key constituencies from the • consolidate all work stream reports into a
public and private sectors, academia and comprehensive national response to 4IR,
civil society to develop a unique blueprint for • ensure that all relevant stakeholders and
the local South African context taking into social actors are represented and that they UNLESS WE ADAPT,
consideration the role of state, citizen and commit to a short-, medium-, and long-
society; the future economy; the challenges term responses to 4IR in the form of a
UNLESS WE UNDERSTAND
related to poverty, unemployment and declaration for their respective sectors, THE NATURE OF THE
• agree on monitoring and evaluation
inequality; considerations on how to bridge
mechanisms for the 4IR process, and
PROFOUND CHANGE
the digital divide and how to make choices
that will benefit all. As President Cyril • pursue further areas of dialogue and THAT IS RESHAPING OUR
Ramaphosa emphasised in his State of the research. WORLD, AND UNLESS
Nation Address, for South Africa to make
its Vision 2030 – which includes eliminating It is anticipated that the 4IRSA process will WE READILY EMBRACE
poverty and creating millions of jobs – a reality, extend beyond the Summit of Declarations but THE OPPORTUNITIES IT
the time is now and 4IR will serve as a key the nature of the ongoing work will need to be
catalyst to transform the country. shaped by the process up to that point.
PRESENTS, THE PROMISE
OF OUR NATION’S BIRTH
WILL FOREVER REMAIN
UNFULFILLED.”
President of the Republic of South Africa
The Honourable Cyril Ramaphosa
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