Ramaphosa’s Recipe for Disaster: A Tech-Led Reform Agenda that’s About to Tank
In his opening of parliament address, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed his plan to transform South Africa into a construction site, with roads, bridges, houses, schools, hospitals, and clinics being built, and broadband fibre being laid. Because, you know, that’s exactly what the country needs – more concrete and copper.
But don’t just take our word for it. Juanita Clark, CEO of the Digital Council Africa, thinks that Ramaphosa’s obsession with "fibre" interchangeably with construction is a sign of the government’s appreciation for broadband as a utility. Oh, how quaint.
And let’s not forget about the crime problem. Because, as we all know, the key to a safer South Africa is not, say, addressing the root causes of crime, but rather using a "data-driven" approach to identify violent crime hotspots and "inform the allocation of policing resources." Yeah, because that’s worked so well in the past.
But wait, there’s more! Ramaphosa also plans to invest in digital identity and payments systems. Because, you know, the current system is working just fine, and people are just dying to have their digital lives simplified. And don’t even get us started on the Digital Council Africa’s lobbying efforts to get the government to pre-provision fibre services in new builds. Because, you know, nothing says "progress" like more fibre.
And then there’s the issue of vandalism and crime in the telecoms sector. Because, you know, it’s not like the government could actually do something about it, like, say, increasing funding for law enforcement or implementing effective anti-vandalism measures. No, instead, Ramaphosa is going to use a "data-driven" approach to identify the problem and… wait for it… "inform the allocation of policing resources." Yeah, because that’s worked so well in the past.
So, in conclusion, Ramaphosa’s tech-led reform agenda is just what South Africa needs – more bureaucratic red tape, more construction, and more fibre. Because, you know, that’s exactly what the country needs.