ITA News Online
December 2008


INDEX
1. NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT: ADAM RABIE
1. IT SKILLS CRISIS – AN URBAN LEGEND?
3. BUSINESS UNITY SOUTH AFRICA
4. BEE WATCH
5. JCSE REPORT
6. NEWS NIBBLE
7. ICT FUNNIES
8. NEWS HOUND
9. WITSA NEWS

 

NOTES FROM THE ITA PRESIDENT: ADAM RABIE

It is hard to believe that this year is drawing to a close.

To wrap up this year, ITA was expecting to expand its horizons and take on an international flavor. I was intending to attend WITSAs International Public Policy Committee meeting and IGF Workshop Co-hosted by WITSA on "ICTs and an Environmentally Sustainable Internet: Another Challenge of Connecting the Next Billion Internet Users" in Hyderabad, India.

India's financial capital Mumbai has come under terrorist attack since Wednesday.

ITA wishes to condemn the senseless violence and express condolences to the victims of the recent tragedy in Mumbai.

ITA is the recognised South African body to the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), which is a consortium of over 60 information technology (IT) industry associations from economies around the world. WITSA members represent over 90 percent of the world IT market.

WITSA has a real impact on the global IT environment. It strengthens the industry at large by promoting a level playing field and by voicing the concerns of the international IT community in multilateral organizations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the G-8 and other international fora where policies affecting industry interests are developed.

The Empowerment Charter for the ICT Sector has revived itself and continued the working which will result in a Code of Good Practice for the ICT Sector. ITA is actively engaging at Steering Committee level and is hosting the Steering Committee Secretariat.

ITA recently partnered with Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) where we ensure that the interests of our members are represented on a strategic level. This has far reaching effects, which go beyond our members and positively impact on the ICT industry of South Africa as a whole.

I would like to thank you the members for your continued support of ITA, and look forward to your ongoing support well into the New Year as your involvement strengthens the Association.

I look forward to your engagement and encourage you to send us a mail with your thoughts and requirements so that we can continue to have a successful partnership.

I would like to take the opportunity to wish you a merry Christmas and everything of the best for the New Year. Enjoy your well deserved break and come back safe.

Yours sincerely

Adam Rabie
ITA President

 
IT SKILLS CRISIS – AN URBAN LEGEND?
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CRISIS OR EXPERIENTIAL CRISIS
ITA SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT
CALLING FOR AN INDUSTRY COLLABORATED APPROACH

We are all familiar with the catch phrase that there is a skills shortage in South Africa. The shortage of skills in South Africa is more serious than was believed and the full effect is yet to be felt. Economists, researchers and industry believe that the shortage of skills is the biggest challenge faced by the economy.

Companies complain that they are unable to meet employment equity quotas because of the shortage of qualified and experienced black people. Emigration, early retirement and quitting because of deteriorating working conditions and relatively low wages are said to be to blame for the lack of skilled human capital.

A growing shortage of skills and talent in IT and business is threatening business growth around the world.

The Information Technology Association of South Africa is taking the lead in bringing all the relevant stakeholders around the table to forge collaborative partnerships that will have impact on the dire situation.

The aim of this summit to be held during the first quarter of 2009 is to achieve agreed resolutions; the objectives include the following:

  • To get an understanding of what the skills crisis is
  • To define and identify where the skills shortage is (specific areas)
  • Explore the mismatch between what learners are being taught in academic institutes and what the real life requirements of business are
  • Proposed outputs will include (but not limited to):
  • A commitment for Business to assist with placing learners in their organization for an average of six months experiential training (as part of their tertiary education programme)
  • Financial commitments from industry companies to the tertiary institutions, in ensuring effective and sustainable faculty programs
  • Learnership programmes with commitment to place candidates in permanent positions, in order to gain the appropriate level of experience
  • Launch of an annual IT Careers Exhibition, aimed at the youth
  • Resolutions and recommendations to reduce job hopping
  • Mobilize resources from government, industry (private public partnerships), academia and civil society in a coordinated manner to address the scare skills crisis to grow the economy by 4.5% per annum up until 2009 there after by 9% until the 2014 figure of decreasing the unemployment figure of 30% by 15% is reached.

With regard to the skills issue ITA President Adam Rabie is of the view that there may perhaps not be such a serious crisis and addressing the problem(s) may b an easy task, achievable over a few years.

Rabie acknowledges that the problem will not disappear overnight, but we need to start somewhere and stop talking about the skis shortage problem. He believes that issues all contributing to the skills shortage includes limited awareness amongst youth on what a career in IT offers; a potential lack of youth starting the race in an IT career (enrolling at tertiary institutions) and possibly the wrong profile of individuals (resulting in high drop-out rates and change in faculty); the mismatch between output from tertiary institutions (IT graduates) and requirements by industry. In addition, market distortions at play, due to factors like job-hopping and over-pricing also contribute significantly to the problem.

“Companies are looking for people with loads of experience, but if someone has had five jobs in two years, how much experience can they pick up?” he asks, adding that each job hop brings with it an increase in remuneration.

He suggest that scorecard requirements for skills development, therefore, be amended to include factors like actual job placement so that companies are forced to try and retain skills more proactively.

Rabie is calling for participation from all the various stakeholders in the industry to come together to address this crisis as a collective unit. Without collaboration or a coordinated approach there will is no impact.



  
BUSINESS AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS THE STATE'S DUTY TO PROTECT AND DOMESTIC LEGAL REFORM

A Conference on the above topic was held at Wits University on 3 November 2008. It was organised by the South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional Law (SAIFAC).

At the heart of the discussion was the question whether the voluntary assumption of responsibility by business was adequate to deal with corporate social responsibilities in South Africa.

The King II Report had made certain far-reaching recommendations to complement the framework of voluntarism in relation to corporate governance, specifically introducing the notion of non-financial reporting.

Prof John Ruggie, Special Representative to the United Nations on Business and Human Rights, in April 2008 released a proposed framework for the imposition of human rights responsibilities upon corporations.

A report authored by SAIFAC senior researcher Dr David Bilchitz, concludes that “The observance of human rights is not a voluntary matter but one of legal obligation”.

The report then continues to make the following proposals:

“In relation to statute law reform, this report suggests the following:

  • The Companies Act should be amended to require corporations to state in their memorandum of association that they recognise that they are bound by the rights in the Bill of Rights and are responsible for their realization to the extent that they bear responsibility for them.
  • An explicit fiduciary duty should be placed upon directors to avoid violating human rights in the management of companies and to assist in the realization of human rights where this falls within the company's ambit of responsibility.
  • Consideration should be given to possible imposition of personal liability upon directors for the violation of fundamental rights.
  • All companies should be required to report on non-financial issues and in particular the impact that they have on human rights. A compliance office should be set up to monitor these reports.
  • A separate statute should be passed rendering companies responsible for their actions that violate human rights, not only within South Africa but beyond. Courts should have jurisdiction to impose delictual liability upon companies that violate human rights beyond South Africa's borders.

In relation to the common law, this report suggests that:

  • Pending the adoption of the above statutory measures, judges, in suitable cases, should develop the common law so as to achieve the same results.
  • In particular, judges should begin to develop standards in suitable cases for the imposition of liability upon corporations where parent companies attempt to hide behind subsidiaries and sub-contractors.
  • Judges should also begin to develop principles and standards that can help clarify the nature of corporate human rights obligations."

The full report can be accessed on SAIFAC's website: www.saifac.org.za. While Dr Bilchitz's argument was supported, with qualifications, by Prof. David Kinley (visiting from the University of Sydney) and also drew support from the floor, Prof. King pointed out that the top 50 Companies listed on the JSE, all fare well in corporate social governance and he therefore still favour's voluntarism supplemented by certain prescriptions, specifically on reporting. He argues that he has more confidence in the management structures of businesses to achieve good corporate governance than for governments to achieve the same by the imposition of statutory obligations on businesses.

For the sake of clarity: when reference is made to “human rights” of “fundamental rights” it is meant to be understood in a wide sense, including issues like footprint on the earth, consumer rights, worker rights etc.

Prepared by: Kobus Kleynhans


BEE WATCH

South Africa's BEE portal

 

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a new website offering a wealth of resources, including legal information and useful tools, related to black economic empowerment (BEE) in South Africa.

DTI BEE website

Trade and Industry BEE director Takalani Tambani said the new portal was in line with what was expected by the BEE codes of good practice, and would help the government monitor and report on the implementation of BEE across the economy. He said that the portal would promote business opportunities, manage the flow of information to the department, and provide a channel through which members of the public could report on BEE "fronting".

Visitors to the portal will be able to use an interactive self-assessment tool, likened to a BEE calculator, which will help companies gauge their empowerment credentials. In addition, Tambani said the portal would simplify compliance and minimise costs associated with broad-based black economic empowerment, standardise the reporting process by stakeholders, and encourage broader participation.

The system is being phased in gradually, with more information expected to come from verification agencies, state-owned entities and sector charter councils as required by empowerment legislation. SAinfo reporter

 
JCSE REPORT

The Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) is a three way partnership between government, academia and industry. Based at Wits University, the JCSE is multifaceted with various programmes and facilities positioning it as a focal point of a software development industry for South Africa and the rest of the continent.

The JCSE strongly supports the City's “Joburg 2030 Vision”, which sees Johannesburg becoming a World Class city with service delivery and efficiencies that meet global best practice. It supports this goal by promoting best practice in software development within an African context; growing the country's capacity to deliver world class software; and developing research and training initiatives to strengthen the local software development industry.

This is done practically by offering various courses to industry, hosting laboratories, housing start-up companies in its pre-incubator, hosting the Gauteng SPIN (Software Process Improvement Network) and Extreme Programming (XP) forum meetings, conducting research and promoting the adoption of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI®) process improvement model in South Africa.

JCSE goals:

  • Improving processes: Promoting international best practice in Software Engineering within an African context.
  • Promoting investment: Establishing a business friendly environment that attracts investment in the local ICT industry.
  • Supporting transformation: Aligning with the objectives of the ICT Charter, to create new leaders and to encourage the growth of SMME's in the sector.
  • Encouraging innovation: Applied research, technology incubation and IP development.
  • Building capacity and skills: Educating experts to lead Africa's software development sector.

To keep in touch with the JCSE please register for our e-newsletter by sending an e-mail to marketing@jcse.org.za What's new:

XP Forum takes a break

We thank all our loyal XP Forum supporters who have contributed to our lively and stimulating events this year. We especially thank Psybergate, who have "driven the process" and helped us to bring topics ranging from process innovation, through agility to domain driven design into our 2008 Forums. XP Forum will be back in February 2009 – watch this space for further news!

What's on:

19-21 January Course - Intro to CMMI. (Johannesburg) This course introduces participants to the fundamental concepts of the CMMI model. http://www.jcse.org.za/courses.php?itemid=4

Please feel free to send your comments to info@jcse.org.za

 

NEWS NIBBLE

 

Mount Kilimanjaro is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. It is one of the few places in the world where ice and snow can be found on the equator. However, the world's highest free-standing mountain, at 5895 metres, could lose its entire ice field by 2015 due to climate change. The latest science says that due to climate change, 80 percent of Kilimanjaro's glaciers have melted over the last century. It is predicted that the rest will be gone in the next 15 to 20 years.

Kilima is Swahili for "mountain" and "Njaro" means shining, reflecting the white ice caps that when illuminated by the sun, is visible from great distances and neighbouring countries like Kenya.

Reaching Uhuru peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, is definitely a life changing experience and a huge achievement. Climbing Kilimanjaro is as much about the perseverance and will to succeed as it is about sheer physical fitness.

But why are we considering an expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro? Beyond all other issues, the biggest danger facing the world community today is being old in our thinking. We need to be capable of seeing change and experiencing it as fantastic! We have to breakdown our resistance to new ways, products and technologies. We have to use as much resources available to update our minds, our thinking and our doing! And this is especially true if we want to rise to one of the most serious challenges facing our world today! And what better platform can we ask for to create awareness among all South Africans about the commitment of both the South African Plastic and Information Technology Industry towards the global fight against global warming, than the “Shining Mountain”!“Take the Step!”

Main Objective:
The Plastic Federation of South Africa (PFSA), eWasa (e-Waste Association of South Africa) and the Information Technology Association of SA (ITA) have been working together for the past few years in addressing the growing e-Waste (electronic waste) challenge in South Africa. The PFSA is also actively involved in litter awareness projects, education and awareness initiatives and promoting the recovery and recycling of plastics through its environmental initiatives under the banner of the Enviromark. In building on this relationship and through their commitment to being good corporate citizens, these three industry representative bodies have decided to collectively address their respective industry's environmental responsibility regarding climate change and related issues.

Therefore the main objective of this expedition will be addressed as follows:
· Creating a general awareness about climate change among all South Africans.

Create awareness about the FOUR R's:

  • Reduce
  • Re-use
  • Recycle
  • Respect
  • Creating awareness about ongoing efforts, locally and internationally, to promote the environmentally responsible use of information technology with specific reference to cleaner production (ie. RoHS), the availability and use of energy efficient products, and the recycling of e-Waste (Electronic Waste).
  • Launch the e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA) – A South African non-profit organisation that will be responsible for implementing and managing the national e-waste management initiative.
  • Creating awareness of the Enviromark (a plastics industry environmental initiative) with the purpose of highlighting it's:
  • National anti-litter campaigns to include a "Keep South Africa's Mountains Clean" campaign.
  • Initiatives to promote the recovery and recycling of plastic waste.
  • Environmental education and awareness projects aimed at local citizens with specific sustainable outcomes.
  • The use of plastic as a material of choice focusing on lower carbon footprint benefits offered by plastic products.
  • Efforts aimed at guiding the plastic industry to accept its environmental responsibility by promoting cleaner production, the use of recyclables in the manufacturing of products, sustainably managing its carbon footprint etc.

The goal of this initiative is therefore to educate South Africans, young and old, about the effects of human actions upon the global climate, global citizenship, to empower individual choices and support grassroots efforts that lead to community reform.

The expedition team will put a face these complex and sometimes seemingly remote issues and illuminate the connections between changes on the far side of the world and changes we may come to experience in our own backyards. The hope of the expedition team and its partners is that the end-result will not only be a heightened awareness about these critical issues, but also result in a “jump-off-the-sofa-and-do-something-attitude” from all South Africans!

HOW WILL WE REACH OUR OBJECTIVES?

Although the expedition seems to be the central activity used to reach the above objectives, it is actually a means to an end. Through our creative, constantly updated on-line portal we hope to capture the imagination and energy of the South African population. Through this specially developed interactive website, South African citizens and the world will be able to witness the progress of the expedition team's ascend of the mountain. Students, educators, businessmen, the media and households will be able to share in eyewitness accounts of the unique ecological community of Kilimanjaro and come to appreciate the interconnected world in which we live.

At the heart of this web-based initiative, the expedition team will provide current, credible, balanced and easily understandable information and educational activities focused on the crucial issues of global climate change and the individual's environmental responsibility. But more significantly, it will offer thought-provoking interaction and practical solutions for young people. The Kilimanjaro Expedition and pre- and post public speaking events will attract media attention and generate traffic to this website. We believe that the dynamic, interactive nature of the website will keep people returning long after the expedition finishes.

The website will feature:

  • Technology that the expedition team will take to the mountain and use to bring the message straight into homes and classrooms around the world with daily updated videos, images, sounds and journal entries from the expedition team.
  • Latest News and Events about global warming, renewable energy, information technology, plastic as a material of choice and related topics updated daily.
  • An Online Bulletin Board/BLOG
  • Educational Activities and Lesson-Plans freely available to any educator, parent or community leader with integrated online collaboration and networking.
  • Several Resource Pages. These pages provide an opportunity for young and old to gain background knowledge on various environmental issues (ie. global warming, carbon footprint, recycling) and the sustainable use of information technology.

Essentially through this portal we hope to create awareness, raise support for future projects, change attitudes, educate young and old, empower communities and individuals, protect and serve our environment and challenge every South African citizen to become involved!

The hope of the Enviromark, the ITA and eWASA is to secure sufficient sponsorship not only to cover the expedition and website development, hosting and maintenance costs, but also have funding available to initiate and fund these specific pre- and post-expedition projects:

  • · Donation of I.T Equipment (used during the expedition) to a deserving South African based project focused on combating issues related to climate change and preserving our environmental heritage.
  • Sponsoring South Africa's participation in International Coastal Clean-up Day and Clean-up South Africa Week in September 2009.
  • Sponsoring the establishment of a central database from where refurbished I.T. equipment will be distributed according to the sustainable donations model to needy schools and community projects in South Africa.
  • Sponsoring the education drive of the "Keep our South African Mountains Clean" campaign to be implemented in 2009.

WHEN? WHERE? HOW?

  • July 2009
  • 8 days Kilimanjaro climb via the Machame Route.
  • Air Tanzania – Johannesburg International Airport to Kilimanjaro International Airport

ICT FUNNIES

12 STEP PROGRAM OF RECOVERY FOR WEB ADDICTS

  1. I will have a cup of coffee in the morning and read my PAPER newspaper like I used to, before the Web.
  2. I will eat breakfast with a knife and fork and not with one hand typing.
  3. I will get dressed before noon.
  4. I will make an attempt to clean the house, wash clothes, and plan dinner before even thinking of the Web.
  5. I will sit down and write a letter to those unfortunate few friends and family that are Web-deprived.
  6. I will call someone on the phone who I cannot contact via the Web.
  7. I will read a book... if I still remember how.
  8. I will listen to those around me and their needs and stop telling them to turn the TV down so I can hear the music on the Web.
  9. I will not be tempted during TV commercials to check for email.
  10. I will try and get out of the house at least once a week, if it is necessary or not.
  11. I will remember that my bank is not forgiving if I forget to balance my checkbook because I was too busy on the Web.
  12. Last, but not least, I will remember that I must go to bed sometime... and the Web will always be there tomorrow!
 
VISIT OUR WEB SITE

www.ita.org.za 

CONTACT US

As a valued member of the ITA, your input is appreciated. Please send us your comments and suggestions.

Send an e-mail to the Secretariat
info@ita.org.za 		 Gabrielle Erasmus
gabi@ita.org.za 

 

Proudly South African is an exciting campaign to promote South African companies, products and services which are helping to create jobs and economic growth in our country
  • When choosing products and services bearing the Proudly South African logo, you have an assurance of quality. You also make a meaningful and personal contribution to building South Africa's economy and alleviating unemployment, as well as keep jobs and money in the country. Indirectly you are fighting against poverty, crime and disease, and helping the country
  • Being a member of the Proudly South African campaign also brings important benefits that boost your marketing efforts, promote your products and services in the market place, present new business opportunities, keep you in touch with other members and provide support with procurement and tendering.
  • ITA is a Proudly South African Association.
 
The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is a consortium of over 60 information technology (IT) industry associations from economies around the world. ITA is the South African representative. WITSA members represent over 90 percent of the world IT market. As the global voice of the IT industry, WITSA is dedicated to:
  • advocating policies that advance the industry's growth and development;
  • facilitating international trade and investment in IT products and services;
  • strengthening WITSA's national industry associations through the sharing of knowledge,
  • experience, and critical information;
  • providing members with a vast network of contacts in nearly every geographic region of the world;
  • hosting the World Congress on IT, the premier industry sponsored global IT event;
  • hosting the Global Public Policy Conference; and

Founded in 1978 and originally known as the World Computing Services Industry Association, WITSA has increasingly assumed an active advocacy role in international public policy issues affecting the creation of a robust global information infrastructure, including:

  • increasing competition through open markets and regulatory reform;
  • protecting intellectual property;
  • encouraging cross-industry and government cooperation to enhance information security;
  • bridging the education and skills gap
  • reducing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers to IT goods and services; and
  • safeguarding the viability and continued growth of the Internet and electronic commerce.

WITSA has a real impact on the global IT environment. It strengthens the industry at large by promoting a level playing field and by voicing the concerns of the international IT community in multilateral organizations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the G-8 and other international fora where policies affecting industry interests are developed

News Hound

South Africa's portal for the disabled

It's not just physical spaces that pose obstacles to people with disabilities. Virtual spaces can be just as inaccessible. According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), there are approximately 4-million people with disabilities in South Africa. And while access to information, services and the ability to communicate effectively is a key need, existing devices and software that allow disabled people to interact via computers "are prohibitively expensive and have not been designed with the South African context in mind".

The National Accessibility Portal (NAP), an initiative led by the CSIR's Meraka Institute, is working to change this, using assistive technology to enable people with disabilities to access and share information online in an affordable way.

The NAP initiative was conceptualised and developed by the Meraka Institute in partnership with a representative group of disabled persons' organisations and the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in the Presidency.

The Meraka Institute released the latest version of the National Accessibility Portal, NAP 3.0.0, in October 2008. NAP 3.0.0 contains a number of new features and additional functionality, most notably the inclusion of South African Sign Language (SASL) on the interface, which aids the navigation process for deaf people. It also provides information through other modalities, specifically an SMS-based query facility via the mobile phone, as well as an interactive voice response (IVR) system via the telephone. Registration on the portal is free of charge, and content can be contributed by any registered user.

According to the Meraka Institute's Louis Coetzee, the NAP system architect, the portal aims to empower people with disabilities, and the communities around them, by providing information and creating a collaborative environment where people can share information. The portal, first launched in 2006, "also provides guidance on creating communities to break the barriers typically encountered by persons with disabilities and other role players in the disability space in South Africa," Coetzee said in statement last week.

Catering for a range of disabilities

NAP is unique in the sense that it caters for people across the entire spectrum of disability. "Some local websites do include accessibility features for disabled persons, but these are mostly aimed at people who are visually impaired," Coetzee said. "A range of assistive technologies are required to enable people with different disabilities to access information, and this is where NAP 3.0.0 comes into its own, specifically with the inclusion of South African Sign Language on the interface."

According to Coetzee, while deaf people in developed countries are mostly literate, deaf people in developing countries such as South Africa often struggle with literacy in terms of the written language. "This makes it difficult for them to access information and navigate their way through a website. NAP 3.0.0 includes Sign Language snippets or blurbs that indicate where you are on the site and what a specific section is about. This enables deaf people to navigate their way to the information they want to access in a far more efficient and less time-consuming way." To avoid bandwidth problems, a significant amount of research went into the optimisation of the downloading process and the information being conveyed in the portal's Sign Language videos.

Phoning the portal, texting the portal

NAP 3.0.0 also features the addition of an interactive voice response (IVR) system that enables people to access the portal by telephone. "As the majority of disabled people probably do not have access to the internet, the telephone is still the most popular communication medium in South Africa, and can be accessed relatively easily," Coetzee said. "With the new system, people can dial into the portal and navigate through the structure to access the required information, which is then retrieved and voiced out to the user." The third major functionality added to the portal is an SMS-based query facility via the mobile phone. When the system receives an SMS query, it finds the relevant information and sends it back to the user, also via SMS. "Most people have a cellphone and know how to send an SMS, so this facility has significantly increased the number of people who can access the portal," Coetzee said. NAP 3.0.0 also includes expanded links to employment agencies dealing specifically with job opportunities for disabled people.

For disabled people, by disabled people

According to the Meraka Institute's Hina Patel, the NAP initiative leader, the involvement of the full range of role players in the disability field was key to the successs of the initiative. "As an example, the NAP 3.0.0 development team comprised about 25 people, including several persons with disabilities, experts in human language technologies, a business analyst and technical developers," Patel said.

"Team members who are deaf or hard of hearing, including members from the Thibologa Sign Language Institution, developed the Sign Language feature, while the IVR system was developed by a blind team member."

The number of registered users and contributors to the portal has shown a steady upward curve. Asked about future NAP developments, Coetzee said lack of bandwidth was one of the main challenges, but added that he was optimistic that funding, including corporate social funding, would be found to ensure the sustainability of the project. "The next technical development phase will focus on adding functionality to improve peer-to-peer communication, such as mechanisms to enable instant chats and enhanced mailing capabilities."

Please-call-me's promote HIV testing

http://www.southafrica.info/about/science/pcm-021208.htm

Local organisations involved with the fight against HIV/Aids and several leading companies have joined forces to launch Project Masiluleke, which sees HIV/Aids-related messages being attached to "please-call-me" requests sent on South Africa's cellular networks.

The project aims to close the healthcare information gap by delivering geographically and culturally appropriate messages that encourage South Africans to access HIV testing, and to know their status. According to the Praekelt Foundation, one of the project's sponsors, inadequate public communication programmes together with the social stigma associated with HIV/Aids means that less than an estimated five percent of South Africans have been tested.

"In this context, mobile phones hold tremendous untapped promise as a tool for public engagement around HIV," the foundation says on its website. Including the pilot that started earlier, the project aims to add HIV/Aids-related messages to about one million please-call-me messages per day for a whole year, from 1 October 2008 till 30 September 2009.

Please-call-me

The please-call-me is a very popular means of communication in South Africa, and is a specialised version of the short message service (SMS) that allows the sender to request that the recipient of the message call them back. Depending on the network, the subscriber can send several please-call-me requests each day. "Approximately 30 million such messages are being sent per day across the three major mobile networks," said the Praekelt Foundation. "For this campaign, Project Masiluleke inserts HIV/Aids messaging at the bottom on an existing please-call-me sent from one mobile user to another."

Aids Helpline

Subscribers will then receive please-call-me requests featuring a variety of messages in several official languages, for example, "Constantly sick and worried that you might be HIV positive? Please call the Aids Helpline 08000 12322".

Upon calling the helpline, recipients of the please-call-me will have access to trained counsellors, who can provide accurate information and referral for HIV testing, treatment and care. Project Masiluleke partners include the Praekelt Foundation, MTN, frog design, Nokia Siemens Networks, iTeach and the National Geographic Society.

 
IT Skills survey
2008 ITWeb-JCSE Skills Survey  
 
The 2008 ITWeb-JCSE Skills Survey set out to establish a benchmark to illustrate the current status of the skills “balance” in the South African ICT sector, and to create a baseline from which trends can be measured during future (annual) surveys. The objectives were to identify the most pressing skills needs from industry and to marry that with a view of the current skills capacity of practitioners and their intentions for future skills development.
 
A summary of the output was published in Brainstorm and iWeek and released at the Skills Survey breakfast event in Sandton on 16 September 2008. 
 
The Department of Labour issued the National Master Scarce Skills list at the end of 2007, indicating that the ICT sector had been unable to fill 37 565 positions at that time. The categories of Managers, Software application programmers and Network & Support professionals all have more that 6 000 vacancies each, closely followed by 5 500 business and system analysts. IT Intellect is quoted as saying that 115 000 additional IT jobs are required in the lead up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
 
Gartner stated at its 2008 Cape Town conference that every enterprise should adopt a school to improve the output. Their research suggests that the shortage of qualified technicians and business leaders is inhibiting the performance of IT companies around the world. Their advice is that hi-tech companies need to make IT more attractive to young people, because (between now and 2010) the demand for qualified IT professionals will outstrip supply globally.
 
100% of the South African company respondents said that the skills shortage is either having a major impact on their business or is affecting their viability.
 
Corporate Responses 
Against a target of 100, 115 valid responses were received from corporate executives from different enterprises, more than half of whom were of C-level or Director status within their enterprise. 
 
ICT Priorities 
Respondents were asked to rank their ICT priorities for the next 1 to 3 years in order of importance. They selected their choices from a list of 24 areas of technology direction and the top three priorities were then rated, to produce the final list of the top 6. 
 
The highest ranking was Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management, indicating the growing recognition that these are the tools of successful enterprises. To follow was Application Development and Software as a Service (SaaS).
 
The remaining three of the top six priorities were seen as equally important, namely Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), Web Development and Mobile Computing.
 
Business Capabilities 
In applying technical talent to the production of solutions for internal and external clients, there are a range of business capabilities that enhance the success of the implementation and support of the technology.
 
There was universal agreement that the management of relationships with clients/users is of vital importance, fairly closely followed by the need for efficient delivery of IT operations. The management of IT development and the processes of planning architecture and infrastructure are also seen as playing an important role. 
 
Skills Needs
It was found that the skills in highest demand now are: Process Management, Business Intelligence & Knowledge Management, Business Analysis and System(s) Analysis. These are followed by Project Management, Systems Design/Architecture and Configuration/Change Management. The top 3 programming languages needed are C#, Java and VB.Net.
 
Impact of the Skills Shortage 
ALL respondents indicated that the shortage is having a major effect, or worse. A not-insignificant few, mostly South African private companies, said that the shortage is affecting the viability of their operations. 
The South African economy is in desperate need of accelerated growth, to offset the inflation rate and alleviate poverty. Closing the skills gap in the short to medium term will undoubtedly enable the respondent companies to increase their productivity and stabilise their growth.
 
Practitioner Roles 
Half of the respondents are involved with software and 41% with hardware and infrastructure. 35% of the latter are working with PCs and Servers and 55% with communications infrastructure. 
The remainder are working in non-technical management and business roles. One dominant characteristic is that very, very few respondents are focused on a single area of activity. On average, each respondent reports being involved in 5 activities. 
 
Conclusions 
There is no doubt that the ICT sector views the skills shortage as very serious, having a major effect on their ability to carry on business in South Africa. In the globally competitive market, it is vital that more effective ways of combating the shortage are found. The apparent desire to do “more with less”, in expecting practitioners to perform multiple roles, may well be worsening the problem rather than alleviating it. The solution lies in the industry working together to make ICT careers more attractive to young people, in the education system devoting more resources to a relevant curriculum and in a serious investment in new entrants who will become the lifeblood of a successful and sustainable South African ICT sector.
 
For more information, contact 
Adrian Schofield, MCSSA
Manager | Applied Research Unit | Joburg Centre for Software Engineering
T: +27(0)11 717 6390 | M: +27(0)82 5600 680 | F: +27(0)86 553 6672

Task team to tackle economic crisis

http://www.southafrica.info/news/business/412111.htm

A task team has been set up to deal with the effects of the global economic crisis, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel informed the public. The measure was decided on by business, labour and the government to address the impact of the global economic crisis on South Africa, Manuel told journalists in Pretoria following a presidential working group meeting.

The meeting focused on the trends in the global economy and its impact on South Africa. "The meeting asked for a social dialogue," said Manuel. Those present agreed to do their "utmost" to lessen the impact of the crisis. Manuel said that it was important for the country to demonstrate insight and finding ways of dealing with the crisis. "We can't talk past each other... or we'll destroy this country together," said the minister.

He said that the meeting discussed that "government, business and labour mitigate the effects of the trends we have seen in the global economy". The meeting said it was not only important to find solutions to the real economy but also to deal with problems relating to it such as job losses. Federation of Unions of SA secretary general Dennis George said it was important to save jobs and that people needed to be trained. "The message is that we must use tools of social dialogue. We must do everything in our power to save jobs." He said that his union had submitted a proposal to President Kgalema Motlanthe.

The union said that an economic rescue plan was needed. Among the suggestions in the proposal was that interest rates be reduced. The team, working under the auspices of the National Economic Development and Labour Council, would report back to Motlanthe in early February next year. Commenting on the request for a loan from the World Bank for Eskom, businessman Saki Macozoma said that it was important that the tariff structure needed to be looked at while ensuring that it responded to Eskom's build programme because poor people would be the most affected by the tariff increase. In a statement issued, TAU SA president Ben Marais said that it was clear that farmers would have difficulty in obtaining production loans or an overdraft as a result of the situation.


 

WITSA: Keep the Internet Run by the Private Sector

 

The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) believes that the Internet must continue to thrive in an open and competitive marketplace unencumbered by unnecessary regulations. WITSA supports private sector initiatives to develop and deliver market based solutions to the challenges faced by the Internet and its users. A resolution with this message for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was adopted at the WITSA global public policy meeting in Hyderabad, India on the December 2, 2008

The internet is one of the key drivers of the global economy and will assume an even larger role in trade and commerce in coming years. To date, the Internet has grown in a largely unregulated environment, and has shown an ability to thrive in a wide variety of market environments under competitive conditions. This freedom has produced impressive results, delivering innovation, productivity and opportunity to users in all parts of the world.

Today, policy makers at both national and global levels are considering a wide number of regulatory approaches to dealing with the issues of cyber security, access, management of spam and malware, protection of intellectual property and other issues.

Dan E Khoo, chairman of WITSA: “concerns of governments seeking a centralized regulatory oversight of the Internet and its applications can be better addressed through a deepened industry-government dialogue and collaboration on solutions. It is the largely unregulated commercially driven environment that has supported the Internet’s initial success and will continue to drive the future growth of the internet”.

Private sector control and expanded public-private sector cooperation could be the key to the further enhancement and security of the internet. Only there where government support could stifle innovation and investment, especially at this time, this might be appropriate.

WITSA has been an active participant at all UN Internet Governance Forums from the inaugural meeting in Athens, Greece in 2006 to the second one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2007 and now at the session in Hyderabad, India in December 2008. WITSA continues its involvement in the Internet Governance Forum and believes that all stakeholders should identify and focus on a set of priority issues that highlight the fundamental building blocks of an information society, including the Internet. Focusing on these priority issues will create a meaningful framework for demonstrable progress toward the long-term sustainability of a truly global information society.

The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is the leading consortium of nearly 70 IT trade associations from countries around the world. WITSA members represent over 90 percent of the world IT industry with a value over $ 3 trillion and employing millions of people.
 

THE SAVANT STORY
SAVANT: Taking South African ICT innovation to the world

Is an initiative of the South African government's Department of Trade and Industry, SAVANT is a marketing and communications programme which is geared to provide a window into the capabilities of the information and telecommunications (ICT) and electronics industries of the country. These industries have demonstrated through many successes their ability to innovate and find unique solutions to the challenges faced by business and society today – in South Africa or across the world.

Initiated in 2001, SAVANT initially set out to showcase the products and solutions that the ICT and Electronics industries in the country are capable of producing, the initiative has subsequently grown to provide a full range of resources to anyone around the world who may be interested in the sector. It is therefore also an ideal platform for these sectors to promote their products and services both to the domestic as well as international markets. SAVANT has also served to improve information sharing and dissemination between government departments. Strong links have been formed between the various government agencies, associations and academic institutions. As a result, access to current developments and available expertise within the sector is greatly accelerated.

The objective of the SAVANT programme are driven by a commitment from the DTI to support the growth of the South African ICT and Electronics sectors by providing these industries with a global voice. In so doing, it seeks to promote export opportunities and foster international trade, promote investment opportunity and establish an information portal which spans the private and public sector.

As a result, in addition to the publication of a regular newsletter which is distributed around the globe, SAVANT offers a website www.savant.co.za which serves as a complete resource for any interested person. On this site, visitors can access

  • Sub-sector research
  • Business directory
  • Tender notification
  • Newsletters
  • B@B matchmaking
  • Trade related events
  • Specialised sub-sector information

Information exchange the lifeblood of trade

It is perhaps appropriate that the ICT and electronics industries have as a core goal the more effective exchange of information. Recognising the essential role of communication to create and identify opportunities and subsequently to foster trade, the DTI leverages its Foreign Economic Representative Network which spans 36 strategic markets worldwide to achieve significant impact with SAVANT. The programme therefore serves as the mechanism through which potential partners and customers are alerted to the capability of these key South African industries. SAVANT provides a complete window into the latest on capability, innovation and development coming out of South Africa. As a result, the DTI invites you to visit the site regularly to keep abreast of all these essential industries have to offer. Access is free, while all industry sector players are encouraged to make use of this valuable marketing platform. Companies seeking to showcase their offerings can register their details and offerings on the SAVANT website, at no charge.

For further information please contact:
Nadia Nortje
Assistant Director - Electrotechnical Unit, Enterprise & Industry Development Division
Tel +27 12 394 1114
nnortje@thedti.gov.za

 
 

eWASA Report


eWASA Paving the way towards Environmentally Sound e-Waste Management for South Africa

The e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA) has been be formally established as a Section 21 company. eWASA will be responsible to set-up an environmentally sound waste management system for all types of e-waste generated in the country.

eWASA is an initiative supported by the Information Technology Association (ITA) which has been working closely with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA) to study the situation of e-waste recycling in developing and transition countries (of which South Africa is one of the partner countries). EMPA's international "Knowledge Partnership in e-Waste" programme has had successes in many countries towards finding local, economically viable solutions for the responsible management of e-waste. The South African project team under the ITA owes much of its early successes and in particular the formal establishment of eWASA (as another important milestone for progress) to a group of dedicated concerned individuals who worked mostly on a voluntary basis to start e-waste recycling initiatives and build recycling networks.

Locally the focus is on the development of viable business models which ensures the management of e-waste along a value added process model thereby maximizing opportunities for refurbishment, repair, reuse, recycling and new product development from e-waste components while providing opportunities for entrepreneurial activities based on job creation and poverty alleviation. All local initiatives are designed as to remain in line with the waste minimization efforts of the government and international treaties such as the Basel Convention.

eWASA is proud of its first three regional e-waste portfolio groups and the work they have done so far. In Cape Town, Ms Susanne Dittke has been working with other stakeholders on the establishment and internal networking of various local e-waste collection, reuse, rework and recycling initiatives (for different types of e-waste) towards the development of blueprint strategic models that can be applied to other regions.

The e-waste recovery facility in Maitland seeks firstly to repair and reuse ICT equipment wherever possible with recycling only as a last resort. The method of recycling incorporates existing manual processes but transforms them into sustainable and environmentally sound operations. Dismantled parts of electronic devices include plastics and metals that can be reused to make new electronic devices or other products. Local artists use some of the non-recyclable materials to create works of art including clocks and fashion items such as belts and jewellery. Toxic components derived as part of the dismantling activities such as the lead containing CRT monitors are disposed of in a hazardous landfill site.

A private sector donor has given the Cape Town facility the funds to operate until October, when it plans to become self-sufficient. Ms Mbaweni Manqele coordinates the KwaZulu-Natal effort. The main recycling partner for the region is Re-ethical who has a track record of environmentally sound waste management practices. Mba is working closely with the Provincial and Local government officials both from Ethekwini Metro and Umgungundlovu District, Environmental NGO's and parastatals. KZN Department of Agriculture is in the process setting up a Dismantling and Recycling facility at its Head Office, Cedara. This is done in cooperation with the provincial coordinating office of eWASA. It is hoped that this model will be a ‘blue print' for other projects in the province. The necessary Monitoring and Evaluation tools will be developed to monitor this project once established.

Similar processes are also under discussion within the eThekwini Metro and Umgundundlovu District Municipality to support the ewaste recycling initiatives. The main focus for KZN is raising awareness with the hope that stakeholders will learn and set up their own internal initiatives to manage ewaste responsibly.

The Gauteng e-Waste Portfolio Group is working with e-waste recyclers and municipalities in the provinces to set-up a reliable collection system. Pikitup now offers e-waste drop-off centres at all their Garden Refuse sites in and around Johannesburg. Local entrepreneurs collect the waste which is sorted, dismantled and passed on to legitimate e-waste recyclers. The hazardous components are disposed of responsibly in the hazardous landfill site at Holfontein.

Several of the large e-waste recyclers in Gauteng are part of the project and provide a service that is equal to the best in the world. To contact your nearest recycler please contact eWASA or browse either www.ita.org.za or www.ewasa.org for a list of responsible service providers countrywide.

Please be reminded that the eWASA office will close for the holiday on 12 Dec 08 and reopen on 5 January 2009. We wish you all a blessed festive Season and a 2009 that will exceed your wildest dreams.

For more information contact:
Lene Ecroignard
National Coordinator: Research & Development
e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA)
ICT House, 546 16th Road, Constantia Park [Unit No.3], Midrand
PO Box 50443, Randjiesfontein, 1685
Tel          : 27 11 312 3605
Fax         : 27 866 058 141
Mobile     : 27 824 787 075
Email       : lene@ewasa.org
Website : www.ewasa.org

ITA MEMBER NEWS

Compuways launches candidates and jobs by RSS Feed!

In keeping with the latest technology trends and to enhance our service offering to our clients, we have implemented the facility to publish our Job and Candidate profiles to subscribers via RSS feeds. This enables Employers to be notified almost immediately when a certain skill becomes available in the market. It enables Job Seekers to be notified immediately when we receive a Job. The beauty of RSS feeds are that the subscriber can read them with the standard readers in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Reader, Outlook etc. and filter out the profiles that they are not interested in immediately.

Another advantage is that our Jobs / Candidates can be read by other web sites because they are in an international XML format. This enhances our marketing efforts to our clients (both candidates and employers). It aides with the communication between us and our clients because they will receive these updates as soon as they become available – no waiting time. This is also useful for HR departments who record candidates on their internal systems.

It also helps us in ensuring that every client gets access to every opportunity on our system: It could happen that recruiter A receives a Job Spec for which a candidate of recruiter B might qualify. Recruiter B might not know about this opportunity at that time but the candidate will be informed if he subscribes to the RSS feed.

The other scenario is when a client of recruiter A needs for example a JAVA developer and Recruiter B has interviewed some, and is not aware of recruiter A’s requirement, the client can actually see it on the RSS feed

This is a free service and very easy to activate Please do not hesitate ask us anytime for assistance to activate this great technology - it literally takes 2 clicks. You can see it by clicking here:
http://www.compuways.co.za/feeds/candidates/candidatesall.xml for candidate profiles and http://www.compuways.co.za/feeds/jobs/jobsall.xml for job profiles.

The most important advantage of this is that it brings us and our clients closer together so they can see what we are doing and influence the process. We have therefore also created a blog where we will discuss these and various topics about our IT Recruitment and skills. We would like to invite feedback or comments on our blog.

The blog feed can be found on: http://compuways.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

We are striving to give our clients the best service possible, using the latest technology possible.
 

 
 

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