An initiative of the Minister of Communications recently culminated in an inaugural meeting between the Department of Communications (DoC) and representatives of various organisations that are active in the Information and Communication Technology industry.

The National Association of Broadcasters, the South African Communications Forum, NAFCOC, Black-IT Forum, Communications Users of South Africa, the Computer Society of South Africa, Internet Service Providers, Electronic Industries Federation and Information Technology Association, were some of the institutions which had attended this platform intended to promote constructive collaboration between the DoC and industry players.

The objectives of the ICT Industry Forum, as indicated in a communiqué by the Ministry, are:

• To provide opinion and advice on a periodic voluntary basis to the Minister of Communications on policies and programmes of the department;
• To make recommendations on legislations, policies and strategies of the DoC;
• To draw on the knowledge and expertise of ICT industry leaders within organized business groups to create sustainable conditions for the industry to support the socio-economic objectives of government;
• To bring together all the sectors in the ICT industry and use the Forum as an information-sharing platform;
• To create sustainable partnerships between government and industry by identifying common goals and share ideas on how to realise these goals.

Members of Proudly South African who are active in the ICT industry, or who would like to obtain more information on the ICT Industry Forum can contact the DoC’s Tiyani Rikhotso, tel (012) 427 8010, or e-mail: tiyani@doc.gov.za

(Source: Department of Communications, www.doc.gov.za)