contents · the ikamva national e-skills institute (inesi) is a national catalyst, facilitator and...

Newsletter Edition 32, November 2014

The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) is a national catalyst, facilitator and responsive change agent in the development of SA, within the globally evolving information and knowledge-based environment, by leading the creation of key e-skills development strategy, solutions, practices and implementation, to benefit the total population. iNeSI focuses primarily on five components: knowledge for innovation (research), e-astuteness (teaching and learning), multi-stakeholder collaboration, innovation and aggregation (monitoring and evaluation framework). iNeSI is a state-owned company and the result of a merger between three institutions: the e-Skills Institute, the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa and the Institute for Satellite and Software Applications.

p1 Capacitating knowledge for innovation (research)for e-skills in South Africa

The e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014

p8 Connected health requires a national strategy forimplementation and increased impact

e-Astuteness and e-Readiness Roundtable at the eStrategies Conference 2014

p10 e-Skills to support the national TVET Turnaround Strategy

Collaborative provincial launch of iNeSI TVET Action Plan in support of the national TVETTurnaround Strategy

p12 E-Skills and e-astuteness critical for creating broadband demand, wealth equity and global competitiveness

‘e-Skills for Entrepreneurs’ course by the Gauteng e-Skills CoLab

Social Media Bootcamp in the Eastern Cape

The 2014 Lego Robotics Competition

Limpopo e-Skills CoLab: Connected Health hosts Intel Focus Group

Eastern Cape Developer Group takes part in Ruby workshops

p14 Contact information for iNeSI

p15 iNeSI and the KZN e-Skills CoLab promoted at Ulundi Imbizo

p15 iNeSI provincial CoLab thematic areas

p15 NDP Priority Areas supported by NeSPA 2013

p16 iNeSI providing a platform for government leadership around e-skills multi-stakeholder collaboration

Portfolio committee oversight visit to KZN e-Skills CoLab

iNeSI’s KZN e-Skills CoLab in the media

p17 Taxonomy for e-skills

p18 Partners in the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute multi-stakeholder collaboration

iNeSIIkamva National eSkills Institute

Contents

www.inesi.org.za

Capacitating knowledge for innovation (research) for e-skills in South Africa

iNeSIIkamva National eSkills Institutewww.inesi.org.za

Newsletter Edition 32, 2014page 1

One of iNeSI’s focus areas is to increase research capacity around e-skills in South Africa. This section covers the e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference that took place in November 2014.

The iNeSI interventions involve: multi-stakeholder collaboration, advocacy and awareness, partnership development, e-astuteness and e-competence development, knowledge for innovation (research), and alignment with national goals – in particular the NDP and Broadband Connect.

It is clear that South Africa needs to focus on developing e-literacy, e-skills and e-astuteness. Global e-readiness

rankings show that South Africa is now in 70th position compared to 47th in 2007.

e-Skills collaboration is key for national impactThere have been various interventions but global examples have shown that these only become truly effective when there is a national and collaborative drive. The state-owned enterprise, the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI), offers a multi-stakeholder collaborative platform. This allows for government, business, education and civil society to work within a framework that aligns to national priorities, such as the National Development Plan (NDP) and South Africa Connect, the broadband policy.

The multi-stakeholder collaborative platform creates an innovative environment for e-skills interventions where there is reduced duplication and greater impact. To develop e-astuteness, iNeSI focuses on e-skills teaching and learning.

Research supports policy engagement and ensures alignment with national prioritiesTo ensure that there is delivery for impact, iNeSI incorporates a monitoring and evaluation framework (aggregation) and evidence-based research (knowledge for innovation). These fall under iNeSI’s Research Network for e-Skills (ResNeS).

Evidence-based research (including monitoring and evaluation) closes the e-skills loop. It ensures alignment to national policies and business priorities. It also creates the evidence to support effective e-skills policy engagement.

Unite around a common pillar to fight poverty and inequality, active citizenry, an inclusive economy, building capabilities, a capable developmental state, and leadership throughout society to work together to solve problems

The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) and the Informing Science Institute (ISI) hosted the e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014 from 17-21 November this year. It was held in the Western Cape at the University of Cape Town. This e-skills conference is

The e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014 First-of-its-kind SA conference develops e-skills research capability for SA and Africa

the first of its kind – where the focus is solely on research around e-skills – and it will now be an annual event. This is part of developing and encouraging knowledge for innovation (research) in e-skills in South Africa and across the continent.

South Africa’s National Development PlanTo read South Africa’s National Development Plan, go to www.inesi.org.za/research-and-policy/upload/npc_vision2030.pdf

About ResNeSThe national Research Network for e-Skills (ResNeS) is a multi-stakeholder platform for collaboration in research. It contains a network of researchers that extends across the higher education sector, private sector, government, business and civil society. It includes national, continental and international research. International research is contextualised within a local environment.

Delegates at the e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014.

Cwele, Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services. Other plenary speakers included Prof Grandon Gill (Board of Governors ISI, Editor-in-Chief, Information Systems and Decision Sciences, University of South Florida) and Mr Boni Gantile (HR Executive at Telkom SA).

Dr Cwele noted that it’s essential to improve South Africa’s e-readiness to ensure global competitiveness and to develop a knowledge economy as “the driver of economic and social development”. With 2014 being the first year of the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP), the Minister said that e-readiness is critical for achieving the goals of Vision 2030.

Public comment on the National Integrated ICT Policy Review Process Options PaperThe National Integrated ICT Policy Review Process Options Paper has been gazetted for public discussion and comment. The paper proposes a position that will direct resources in government, education and business towards an integrated national position on the ICT sector.

Dr Cwele said that through the policy review process, South Africa’s policy direction will have a framework for achieving an e-ready, e-astute and e-innovative inclusive economy and information society. (To download a copy of the National Integrated ICT Policy Review Process Options Paper, go to www.dtps.gov.za. As part of the consultation


Capacitating knowledge for innovation (research) for e-skills in South Africa [continued]


Road to the e-Skills SummitThe e-Skills Conference was made up of plenary sessions and research breakaway sessions, as well as a welcome reception and conference dinner. The conference is an essential part of the road to the e-Skills Summit which will take place next year.

The e-Skills Summit is a national event where the National e-Skills Plan of Action (NeSPA) is reviewed and updated to ensure that the South African e-skills agenda moves forward. (To view NeSPA, go to http://inesi.org.za/research-and-policy/upload/nespa2012.pdf.)

Collaboration for significant impactInput for NeSPA at the e-Skills Summit is provided through collaboration between government, business, education and civil society. Collaboration is the way forward if the e-skills agenda is to have significant impact.

Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services opens the first plenary sessionThe plenary speakers at the e-Skills Conference encompassed the iNeSI multi-stakeholder collaborative platform, with representatives from government, business, education and civil society.

On 19 November 2014, the plenary session topic was ‘Developing an e-astute citizenry to deliver the NDP – roles and responsibilities’. This was opened by Dr Siyabonga

Knowledge for Innovation (research) topicsThe e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014 ran break-away sessions that covered the following topics. Links to the full papers can be found at http://proceedings.e-skillsconference.org/2014/. There is also a link from http://inesi.org.za/research-and-policy/. • e-Literacy Training Of Local Government Officials

in the Khara Hais Municipality • Groenpunt Correctional Services: E-Literacy

Training for Staff and Inmates • Predicting the Adoption of Video Podcast in Online

Health Education• The Adoption of Tablet Based e-Textbooks in a

South African Private School• E-skilling on Fundamental ICT Networking

Concepts – Overcoming the Resource Constraints at a South African University

• An Investigation of the Choices Taken By Students with National Senior Certificate (Matric) in Enrolling for NC (V) or Report 191 at TVET Colleges: A Discussion Case Study of King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) TVET College as an Analogy

• house4hack: Stimulating Technical and Practical Innovation for Social Good

• Technology Access Centres: Gauteng and Eastern Cape Case Studies

e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014 opened by Dr Siyabonga Cwele, Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services




process, written comments to be sent to the department by 15 January 2015.)

Towards an active e-citizenry As per the Digital Opportunity pillar in South Africa’s broadband policy, Dr Cwele said that investing in ICT infrastructure cannot work if people “do not have the e-skills necessary to utilise that infrastructure to access government services, education, business opportunities and actively participate in the knowledge economy”.

e-Governance public service delivery with a focus on rural areasThe Minister noted that e-governance is a priority to better improve the coordination and quality of services delivered. Over the next two years, government will focus on the frontline departments, including Home Affairs, Health, Education, Police and Justice.

He noted that “these services must especially be made available to the most rural of communities” to prevent the

Knowledge for Innovation (research) topics (continued)• ITIL Adoption in South African: A Capability

Maturity View• Understanding What Motivates Participation on

Crowdsourcing Platforms• Problem-Solving and Web-Based Learning• Supporting a Humanizing Pedagogy in the

Supervision Relationship and Process: A Reflection in a Developing Country

• A Blended Learning Approach to the Professional Development of TVET College ICT Educators: A Case Study

• Architecturing Software Engineering Ecosystem • Corporate Ethical Dilemmas during Global

Expansion: Lessons for Corporate Governance and IT Professionals

Mr Boni Gantile from Telkom; Dr Harold Wesso from iNeSI, and Prof Grandon Gill representing the Informing Science Institute.

Knowledge for Innovation (research) topics (continued)• Understanding Collective Moral Disengagement in

a Controversial Urban Electronic Tolling Project: Implications for e-Skills Education

• Strategizing for Mobile Learning: A Holistic Approach for Designing Mobile Learning

• MobiSOOCs for In-Service Teacher Education: Design Considerations for Developing Countries

• The Use of Social Media Technologies as Novel Ways to Teach and to Promote Learning

• University of L.I.F.E.• Using the New Media to Improve Student

Performance in Secondary Schools• Factors that Influence Misalignment between

Developers and Testers in Agile Organizations, and Alleviation Strategies Employed

• Mobile Women: Investigating the Digital Gender Divide in Cellphone Use in a South African Rural Area

further marginalisation through a rural-urban digital divide. Further to that, public servants need to be competent when providing e-government services and this includes those in education.

e-Skills for youth and to combat poverty, unemployment and inequalityThe iNeSI model was welcomed as a way to ensure co-operation and enable strategic collaboration with universities, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) colleges, private sector training initiatives and NGOs. Dr Cwele views this as part of the solution to “ensuring that as many young people are able to acquire the skills use of technological innovation to grow the economy and address developmental challenges”.

He noted that the ICT sector must plays a role in advancing youth development, as well as addressing the persistent historical triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

The Minister said that “e-skills are necessary to ensure that the competitive edge of South African enterprises




is increased and thereby afford them an opportunity to participate in the global economy, experience growth, and employ more people”. This includes developing socially-appropriate mobile apps and targeting SMMEs.

Government spending on aligned e-skills programmes that show real impactGovernment, working with iNeSI, must ensure that e-skills programmes are aligned to South Africa’s developmental agenda. “There is an urgent need for a streamlined government e-skills programme that will address the bottlenecks of development and assist in creating platforms that can be utilised by business for enhanced growth,” said Dr Cwele.

He noted that iNeSI needs to replicate and adapt existing successful programmes through a nationwide audit and conduct further coordination to prevent work done in silos and waste of resources. “All government spending must be directed towards programmes that will see real returns on investment made,” said Dr Cwele.

Business is a critical role player for e-skills developmentThe Minister noted that the private sector has an important role to play within e-skills development. Beyond corporate social investment, internal e-skilling (including upskilling and increased learnerships) will assist with the e-skills

Thank you for your participationiNeSI and the Informing Science Institute would like to thank all participants of the e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014. This is the first year of the annual conference and it has laid a good foundation for the following conferences and for promoting research around e-skills.

Ms Mymoena Sharif, Dr Harold Wesso, Dr Molatelo Maloka and Gaitsiwe Lenepa from iNeSI with Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, DTPS Deputy Minister.

Knowledge for Innovation (research) topics (continued)• Strategies, Practices and Skills for

Competitiveness in the Digital Economy: A Perspective on Large Companies in South Africa

• SYNCOM, A Tool for Competence Management• Competencies for the Successful Use of Online

Social Simulation Games within Organisational Leadership Development

• Managing Cognitive Load When Teaching and Learning e-Skills

• Bringing the Future to Life: i-Pads Change Life Outcomes for Over 16 000 Learners

• Technology Acceptance and Disadvantaged Students – The Role of Culture

• Dynamic Business Intelligence and Analytical Capabilities in Organizations

• Making Sense of e-Skills at the Dawn of a New Personal Knowledge Management Paradigm

• Public Libraries for Local Development • Identifying the e-Skills Needed for the Effective

Utilisation of Electronic Small Businesses Development Support Services

• Determining e-Skills Interventions to Improve the Effectiveness of Service Delivery by Community Development Workers

• Key Success Factors for Developing e-Skills in a Developing Country: South African Case Study

• Comparing Young Children and Teenagers as Partners in Co-Design of an Educational Technology Solution

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Elearning and Core Skills Interventions for South African Secondary School Learners




Some of the tweets from the e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014

Mymoena Sharif; we are building strong relation-ships with institutions worldwide, and more espe-cially in the African continent #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

@DtpsZA Min Cwele: Knowledge economy is a key driver of our nation’s development #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Harold Wesso of @iNeSI_: We are in the capacity-building business. We are into changing mindsets. #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Ridiculous how a univ can recognize only 20% of a qualification that’s been received in another univ. @BraBoni of @TelkomZA at #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

@DtpsZA Min Cwele #eskills2014: Eskills are necessary to ensure competitiveness of our South African enterprises / iNeSI @iNeSI_

@DtpsZA Min Cwele: @iNeSI_ must coordinate our nation’s training efforts in line with the NDP #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Sherry Grover, Destiny Group (USA) An opinion leader can create awareness of technology & speed up the rate of adoption #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Machdel Matthee, @UPTuks #eskills2014 Tablet-textbook adoption has changed the information-seeking behaviour of the students / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Alfie Hamid from Cisco speaking about working together with other stakeholders to teach next generation. #eskills2014 / Mathe V.K. Ntsekhe @MatheVK

Craig Reid discussing how iPads changed life outcomes for over 16000 learners #eskills2014 @iNeSI_ eskills conference / Moliehit @moliehiT

@AltaafHamid at #eskills2014: @Cisco_SA have learned - Giving everything for free does not work / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Gaming is an effective bridge to move people from fear of computing to competence - @Oncodad of @UWConline at #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Zoran Mitrovic of @UWConline at #eskills2014: In-formal business owners are slower to uptake basic level technologies / iNeSI @iNeSI_

For e-learning intervention to work, ensure consist-ency btwn classroom & online curriculum: Richard Millham of @DUT_Tweets at #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Many lecturers are not taking YouTube seriously, not sharing any videos: Kevin Johnston of @UCT_news at #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

Dr Molatelo Maloka (iNeSI Chairperson) and Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize (Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services).

Research weighs practice against policyProf Mkhize noted that research (knowledge for innovation) is important in that there is a need to constantly check “what happens in practice against the hopes and dreams embedded in our policies”.

She acknowledged the multi-disciplinary approach of the research and the conference to research, policy development, praxis (accepted practice) and impact assessment. This will assist in addressing “one of the most important Grand Challenges South Africa faces” – the appropriation of modern ICT devices and applications in the pursuit of impacting inequity and in building a more inclusive developmental economy.

Budget against research effectiveness The Deputy Minister noted that across the world policy makers are “grappling with the costs and effectiveness

agenda. He said that it is iNeSI’s responsibility to align the e-skills agenda and ensure opportunities according to business need.

Plenary session focus on e-skilling South AfricaThe second plenary session was held on the 20 November 2014. The focus was on e-skilling South Africa. Participants included Dr Harold Wesso (acting CEO of iNeSI), Mr Alfie Hamid (Regional Manager, Corporate Affairs, Cisco Systems) and Mr Graham Maart (IBM).

Deputy Minister speaks on assessing e-skills impact On 21 November 2014, the plenary session looked at ‘University engagement and assessing impact in an ICT-enabled world of learning and praxis’. Speakers included Mr Thabani Tonny Khupe (Director, Corporate Affairs Group Intel Corporation), Ms Jeanette Morwane (Director: ICT and Service Industry, Department of Science and Technology),

Plenary presentation by Mr Alfie Hamid, Cisco Systems




of traditional approaches to research within increasing emphasis on ‘austerity’ budget levers”. She further noted that traditional approaches to isolated discipline-based research do not provide sufficient certainty for measurable impact on societal goals.

The ‘Grand Challenges’ faced on a global level are multi-faceted. Prof Mkhize said that these need new collaborative approaches with involvement across government, education, business, civil society and international donor agencies. While there is a boom in terms of access to technology, the Deputy Minister said that the challenge is now around being e-skilled and “competent to enjoy the full benefits of access to information”.

Measuring e-skills against economic performanceProf Mkhize said that institutions of higher learning have

Knowledge for Innovation (research) topics (continued)• YouTube as an Academic Tool for ICT Lecturers• The Range and Level of Software Development

Skills Needed in the Western Cape, South Africa• Motivating IT Staff in a Government Organisations

in South Africa• ICT and Skills Shortage: South African Case Study

of Retaining ICT-Skilled Professionals• The Living Lab Model of ICT for Development

(ICT4D) for Effective Engagement of ICT in Rural Education

• e-Literacy Training in Deep Rural Areas: The Siyakhula Living Lab Experience

• Towards Building an Indigenous Knowledge Platform to Enable Culturally-Sensitive Education Underpinned by Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK)

• Evaluating the Utility of a Knowledge Acquisition and Construction Framework for Learning Management Systems

• An Empirical Study on the Use of the Sakai Learning Management System (LMS): Case of NUST, Zimbabwe

• Perceptions of Mobile ICT Adoption by South Africa Micro Entrepreneurs

• The Data Divide in a South African Rural Community: A Survey of Mobile Phone Use in Keiskammahoek

• Introducing U-Learning with E-Learning into the Teaching and Learning Environment of FET Colleges

Mr Graham Haart from IBM; Delegates networking at the conference.

Ms Mymoena Sharif and Wallace Taylor from iNeSI and Prof Eli Cohen And Elizabeth Cohen From the Informing Science Institute.

“As per the Digital Opportunity pillar in South Africa’s broadband policy, Dr Cwele said that investing in ICT infrastructure cannot work if people ‘do not have the e-skills necessary to utilise that infrastructure to access government services, education, business opportunities and actively participate in the knowledge economy’.”




e-Skills are critical as part of South Africa ConnectThe Deputy Minister positions SA Connect, the broadband policy, as a response to evolving global trends and the need to meet the diverse ICT requirements within South Africa. She said that iNeSI “is one of the strategic interventions referred to in SA Connect that is aimed at the development of local e-skills that are required by the sector and the user e-skills necessary for social and economic inclusion to secure and create jobs”.

Educational institutions engaging with e-skills, research and policyProf Mkhize said that institutions of higher learning have opportunities to engage in non-traditional ways. Calling it the ‘e-skills revolution for an inclusive agenda’, Prof Mkhize said that a paradigm shift was essential. It requires a change in old ways of doing things, understanding that there will be future unknown required skills and ensuring the inclusion of women within ICT.

She noted that for South Africa to improve its global

Some of the tweets from the e-Skills for Knowledge Production and Innovation Conference 2014

Good quality education ultimately depends on the quality of the teachers that we have: @MatheVK of @RhodesUnivesity at #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

For @intel - growing eskills base means growing digital literacy and embedding technology into peo-ple’s lives; Khupe #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

We’ve failed to listen to our own voices by not allowing indigenous knowledge to influence our education: @MatheVK at #eskills2014 / iNeSI @iNeSI_

The ICT roadmap plan is meant to foreground the importance of research, development & innovation (RDI) to the economy. #eskills2014 / Mathe V.K. Ntsekhe @MatheVK

#eskills2014 60% of world labour is female, own 1% of global assets, earn 10% of global income. via Tony Khupe #intel / gregory doyle @gedoyle

#eskills2014 @CiscoNetAcad @Cisco @TechCrunch Dep Min of Comms says path to e-Skills Summit 2015 is critical / Altaaf (Alfie) Hamid @AltaafHamid

e-readiness rankings, there needs to be collaboration across all stakeholders – from government to business. Policy interventions need multiple research support to “isolate what is working and what is not working”. Research and skills development is also part of the strategy for uplifting the youth and supporting large-scale employment creation.

The New Growth Path sees achieving a strong foundation in e-skills by teaching e-literacy in all secondary schools and as part of the standard adult basic education and training (ABET) curriculum (to be done by 2015). Prof Mkhize said that for this to happen, educators need to be trained and computer centres need to be established. With South Africa’s population largely made up of young people, it is imperative to provide the youth with appropriate and relevant e-skills so that they can contribute to economic growth and participate in the information society.

The Deputy Minister noted that South Africa needs ongoing research to create evidence for building a case of “economic payback from smarter education”, as well as other forward-thinking areas. She said that “research questions must be aligned with the principles of our democracy and should adhere to the culture of human rights and human dignity”.

a responsibility for the investment commitments made in post-doctoral degrees and increased enrolment in universities. This also needs to be seen within the context of the NDP where e-skills are needed for a growing economy. She noted that “the impact of the improved and increased quality of e-skills will be seen on how we measure in terms of our economic performance outcomes”.

Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, Deputy Minister of the Department of

Telecommunications and Postal Services.

END

Connected health requires a national strategy for implementation and increased impact




www.inesi.org.za

Connected health offers much to the health environment globally, as well as to South Africa as a developing

country. Technology and the ability to use technology effectively and strategically (e-skills and e-astuteness) has already enabled significant improvements within the health arena, from web-based electronic health records to targeted mobile apps that assist in diagnosing and treating illness.

Integrated national e-health system and e-skills are fundamentalOne of the starting points for connected health is an integrated national e-health system. Currently South Africa has many varied types of health systems and, in some cases, no systems at all. Because health systems aren’t standardised, information can’t be shared nor is it possible to make use of standardised information.

There is also a general lack of e-skills within the population. So while technology makes it possible to get information to even the most remote areas, patients cannot necessarily access and make use of the information. e-Skills and e-astuteness are central to successful connected health, both for patients and healthcare providers.

The ideal scenario is a unified system where information can be distributed and used by multiple agencies. South Africa is ready for a strong connected health environment but it requires organisation, efficiency and collaboration.

NDP recommends national e-health systemThe National Development Plan (NDP) recommends the implementation of a national health information system

“to ensure that all parts of the system have the required information to effectively achieve their responsibilities”. It notes that “credible data is necessary to inform decision-making and regular monitoring across the system. The development and management of effective data systems should be prioritised”.

It further notes that the system should have seamless integration with other information systems such as those that are provincially and community based. “These systems should link to secure online electronic patient records and other data structures... [and] government, private sector and non-profit databases.”

According to the NDP, there should be national standards for integrating the e-health systems and regular independent data quality audits. Human resources need to be developed for health information, as well as for strengthening the culture of ICT use for health information. The NDP recommends improved access to digital information with a “focus increasingly on web-based and mobile data entry and retrieval”.

This section looks at the Astuteness and e-Readiness Roundtable that iNeSI chaired and participated in during the recently-held eStrategies Conference which focused on the implementation of e-health systems in South Africa and the associated e-skills and e-astuteness. The iNeSI interventions involve: multi-stakeholder collaboration, advocacy and awareness, partnership development, e-astuteness and e-competence development, knowledge for innovation (research), and alignment with national goals – in particular the NDP and Broadband Connect.

The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) participated in the e-Astuteness and e-Readiness Roundtable at the eStrategies Conference on 27 November 2014. The focus was on the urgent need for effective education programmes that increase levels of e-literacy, e-skills and e-astuteness in South Africa. Furthermore, that there is a collaborative and coordinated implementation of national e-health (connected health) systems.

The panel was chaired by Ms Mymoena Sharif, iNeSI’s Chief Director, and included other iNeSI representatives: Dr Farivar Rahimi (Director of the Limpopo e-Skills CoLab: Connected Health and Director of e-Learning at the University of Limpopo) and Mr Andrew Scholtz from the Limpopo e-Skills CoLab. Other panel members included:

• Mr Siraaj Adams, Executive Manager, Metropolitan Health

• Prof Marianne Alberts, Professor Emiritus: Medical Science, University of

e-Astuteness and e-Readiness Roundtable at the eStrategies Conference 2014 Developing recommendations to support the implementation of a national e-health system

Panel members at the e-Astuteness and e-Readiness Roundtable, eStrategies Conference 2014

Limpopo• Mr Martin Wilkinson, Product Marketing Manager,

Intersystems, Australia• Dr Yaseen Khan, Co-founder, Open Medicine Project

Council

Connected health requires a national strategy for implementation and increased impact [continued]



www.inesi.org.za

Implementing a standardised e-health system and associated e-skills The purpose was to examine the issues that face South Africa regarding the implementation of standardised national e-health systems and the need to educate the general population and healthcare providers on their use.

The roundtable discussion looked at how projects can work on a local level and how to facilitate successful national rollout through using a coordinated and collaborative multi-stakeholder approach. Policy guidelines for rapidly advancing e-literacy across the country are needed and the roundtable discussion looked at ways in which this can be achieved.

The Dikgale pilot projectThe Dikgale pilot project was discussed. This involves four clinics, three schools and three community centres that will be linked to a local hospital through a locally-based version of the patient management system.

It was noted that local-level projects (where the impact is easily seen and therefore there is good buy-in) are working. The Dikgale Project is an example. It is a partnership between the University of Limpopo Department of Medical Sciences and VLIR.

Now moving into implementation phase, the project focus is on e-skilling healthcare workers, educating them with health information through technology-mediated training and disseminating information on the management of chronic non-communicable diseases to the local population.

The iNeSI Limpopo e-Skills CoLab: Connected Health is a strategic partner in the implementation phase in collaboration with the University of Limpopo, the Limpopo Department of Health and industry partners.

Roundtable recommendationsThe roundtable resulted in a number of recommendations. e-Health solutions need to be simple to use and more user-friendly. The systems need to be patient oriented and healthcare worker oriented ie its benefits must be clear and users’ needs must be taken into account. The system also needs to generate relevant and useful information – it doesn’t matter if there is a lot of data if the information isn’t relevant or useful. Information dissemination should also include sharing through mobile devices. It was noted that youth and those in rural areas should be part of the development process of any connected health solution. It

was also noted that there is a wide gap between policy and implementation. There has been no implementation of the eHealth Strategy 2012 or monitoring of progress made. A link to the rapporteur’s statements and photography from the event can be found at http://inesi.org.za/pages/collaborative-network.php or link to http://estrategies.co.za/index.php?content_id=2.

Mr Freeman Nomvalo, CEO South African State Information Technology Agency (SITA)

DTPS Deputy Minister opens eStrategies Conference 2014The Deputy Minister of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, gave the opening remarks at eStrategies Africa 2014 on 27 November 2014. The theme was ‘Social and economic transformation in African Countries’.

Prof Mkhize noted that Africa is on a serious economic growth path, showing “the longest period of sustained and robust economic growth since the 1960s”. The Deputy Minister said that social and economic transformation has been a driving force behind South Africa’s legal reform and policy interventions.

She noted the participation of South Africa in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ICT platforms since 1996 where one of the aims is to ensure that ICTs “are accessible and affordable for all citizens in the SADC region, and that ICTs are fully able to support the national development agendas and policies of the Member States, as well as the region as a whole”. The SADC ICT Declaration includes the priority area of increasing human resource capacity for ICT development.

Beyond ICT infrastructure development, Prof Mkhize said that 100% connectivity levels are dependent on technology being used. There are strategies aimed at developing e-literacy and developing e-skills, e-readiness and e-astuteness. She noted the development of e-skills through the Digital Opportunity pillar in South Africa Connect, the broadband policy, and the part that the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) plays in expanding e-skills development in the country. She noted that there is a particular need to focus on improved public service delivery and to “increase e-skills to enhance the competitive nature of business”, as well as youth and rural areas.

The Deputy Minister considers e-health (connected health) as central to the e-government strategy: “The main aim is to develop a more equitable and accessible healthcare system in South Africa.”

END

e-Skills to support the national TVET Turnaround Strategy




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The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, which falls under the Department of

Higher Education and Training (DHET), has been subject to restructuring programmes launched by the government in the past few years. The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training states that: “The DHET’s highest priority is to strengthen and expand the public TVET colleges and turn them into attractive institutions of choice for school leavers.”

According to the Human Resource Development Council ‘Profile of the TVET Sector’ (2013), “the TVET sector is pivotal to government’s goal of accelerating skills development”. The restructuring of TVET colleges aligns with the National Development Plan’s (NDP) goal of creating a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path.

The national TVET Turnaround Strategy aims to address the levels of functionality in colleges and bring about comprehensive sustainable improvement in college performance. The Turnaround Strategy includes curriculum delivery, professional development of staff and partnerships. The emphasis is on building capacity in the sector.

iNeSI and the DHET creating e-skills capacity within TVET collegesPreviously the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) hosted the TVET College e-Skills Action Plan Workshop in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services and the DHET. This outlined the aims of the TVET e-skills programme, which included:

• Building the capacity of TVET colleges to offer e-skills

• Growing the capability of learners and making them employment ready

• Offering new innovative courses that are aligned to industry and societal demands

• Facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration• Ensuring integration of theory practice and

facilitating career pathingiNeSI has also introduced a number of e-skills

programmes at TVET colleges, such as multimedia training, the Cisco Network Training Programme and the ICT Lecturer Professional Development Programme.

Collaboration key for the e-skills roadmapMulti-stakeholder collaboration is essential to support the TVET Turnaround Strategy and to embed e-skills within the colleges. iNeSI and the DHET have developed an e-skills roadmap for TVET colleges which offers the colleges opportunities through activities with partners.

iNeSI considers TVET colleges strategic role players that will produce people with e-skills and e-astuteness. This aligns with iNeSI’s aims of supporting the NDP to create an e-literate society, to assist with raising South Africa’s global e-readiness rankings and creating e-astute people that can fulfil the demand for broadband as outlined in South Africa’s broadband policy and its Digital Opportunity pillar.

This section looks at the Launch of the iNeSI TVET Action Plan in collaboration with business, government, education and civil society and in support of the national TVET Turnaround Strategy. The iNeSI interventions involve: multi-stakeholder collaboration, advocacy and awareness, partnership development, e-astuteness and e-competence development, knowledge for innovation (research), and alignment with national goals – in particular the NDP and Broadband Connect.

The Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab: ICT for Rural Development hosted the Launch of the iNeSI TVET Action Plan in collaboration with business, government, education and civil society and in support of the national TVET Turnaround Strategy. This was held on 2 December 2014 in East London. (‘TVET’ stands for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. These colleges were previously named FET colleges.)

Stakeholders attended from government, education, business and civil society and various collaborative opportunities were presented on a provincial level as part of the iNeSI TVET Action Plan.

Stakeholders included representatives from the National Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, the Provincial Department of Basic Education, the Eastern Cape Human Resource Development Council through Eastern Cape Socio Economic Consultative Council

Collaborative provincial launch of iNeSI TVET Action Plan in support of the national TVET Turnaround StrategyCollaboration through iNeSI offers opportunities to TVET colleges

Ms L van der Merwe, Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab Acting

Coordinator, programme director

Mr F Gerber, WSU Buffalo City Acting Campus Rector,

opens event on behalf of WSU.

e-Skills to support the national TVET Turnaround Strategy [continued]



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Education and Research Network (TENET)• Lecturer Professional Qualifications: VEOP, others

by Walter Sisulu University and the Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab: ICT for Rural Development

• e-Literacy and TVETs as Smart Community Knowledge Centres by iNeSI’s Southern Gauteng/Northern Cape CoLab: e-Literacy and e-Business (knowledge economy and e-social astuteness)

• Multimedia courses by iNeSI’s Gauteng e-Skills CoLab: Creative New Media Industries

A report back and discussion then followed. Feedback has been very positive with proposals for further engagement and concrete actions. END

King Hintsa TVET Pilot in collaboration with DOTThe DOT programmes equip identified youth in vulnerable communities. The youth then facilitate e-skills programmes - building e-astuteness with a focus on innovation and business skills.

The intention is to provide vulnerable communities with the confidence to use technology for entrepreneurial, community, educational and personal development.

The King Hintsa TVET Pilot includes DOT’s ReachUp! (youth workforce readiness) and TeachUp! (ICT in education). ReachUp! will involve interns impacting on youth either at the college or in surrounding communities. TeachUp! will involve a teacher facilitator, teachers and students.

The integrated pilot programme includes elements of DOTconnect, a cloud-based learning platform with learning resources, communities of practice and an online self-assessment learning path. The aim is for the proof of concept to be used for all Eastern Cape TVETs in the long term.

Enabling and sustaining CISCO networking academies at TVET CollegesCisco has partnered with iNeSI to help build South Africa’s technology base through the Cisco Networking Academy Programme which predominantly provides e-skills in designing, developing and implementing Cisco networks. Courses range from computer basics to advanced networking

This includes Cisco networking academies at 28 TVET Colleges with four in the Eastern Cape. The focus is on fast tracking implementation and integrating the Cisco courses into the curriculum. There are other areas, such as instructor succession planning, that are being looked at.

Ms P Mbontsi, provincial DHET, presents on the proposed e-skills

and DHET action plan to support the TVET turnaround strategy.

Mr T Vetter, DOT, presents on DOT TeachUP and

ReachUP Ms I Daniel, Office of the Premier, presents on collaboration between government, education, business, and civil society to meet skills challenges and opportunities within the province.

(ECSECC), the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the Eastern Cape IT Initiative (ECITI), the Eastern Cape SITA, the Eastern Cape USAASA, Eastern Cape TVET Colleges, Border Kei Chamber of Commerce, Datacentrix, Kagiso Systems and the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition.

The event involved plenary sessions looking at:• e-Skills and the TVET Sector by the provincial

Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)

• Provincial Skills Development: collaboration opportunities by the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier

• Overview of programmes to be implemented in pilot at King Hintsa TVET: TeachUp and ReachUp by the Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)

• Enabling and Sustaining CISCO networking academies at TVET Colleges by Cisco

Parallel break-out sessions followed this. These covered:

• Assisting connection of TVET campuses to broadband networks by the National Tertiary

Delegates at the Launch of the iNeSI

TVET Action Plan

E-Skills and e-astuteness critical for creating broadband demand, wealth equity and global competitiveness




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Why exactly are e-skills essential to South Africa? The starting point is understanding what an e-skill is and

how this relates to e-astuteness.

Understanding e-skills and e-astutenessAn e-skill moves beyond computer literacy and e-literacy. It is not only about being able to use technology but using it in such a way that the individual can take part in the world and move ahead. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as through finding employment, developing businesses, and learning and interacting with others including government.

e-Astuteness builds on the idea of an e-skill. It’s more than using technology for active participation; it is using e-skills in a smart and astute way for individual and community benefit. This could be using technology to build social and business connections or for strategy or to understand people and situations.

Why e-skills are so important for South AfricaWe live in a world that is increasingly dominated by ICT. Technology has become so ubiquitous that it impacts on almost every area of work or life. ICT and e-skills are a key part of enabling people to participate more actively in the economy and thus drive the economy and innovation forward. Technology and e-skills are also a key part of creating a better life.

So how is South Africa measuring up to the rest of the world? Global e-readiness rankings show that the country has dropped 23 places since 2007. It is now in 70th position compared to 47th position. This shows that South Africa is lagging behind. There is a consequent effect on South Africa’s ability to compete globally and to engage on the world stage, particularly in business.

The disparity is also apparent within the country. There is a divide between people who have e-skills and those that

do not – and this becomes a barrier to creating equality in wealth.

Government policy outlines need for e-skillsIf South Africa is to move from an agrarian society to a knowledge economy, we need e-skills. The influence of technology and e-skills is clearly acknowledged in government policy. For example, the National Development Plan (NDP) defines the aim of having an e-literate society.

South Africa Connect, the broadband policy, contains four pillars – one of these is Digital Opportunity which talks specifically to creating a demand for broadband. This means enabling people with e-skills and e-astuteness so that they use the ICT infrastructure.

South Africa requires e-skills on all levels, from basic e-literacy upwards. This section looks at various e-skills interventions that iNeSI has been involved in to develop e-astuteness and capability within South Africa. The iNeSI interventions involve: multi-stakeholder collaboration, advocacy and awareness, partnership development, e-astuteness and e-competence development, knowledge for innovation (research), and alignment with national goals – in particular the NDP and Broadband Connect.

National government priorities define the SMME sector as a key area of development to drive the economy. As part of the alignment with national policy, the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) views SMMEs as a strategic focus group that requires e-literacy, e-skills and e-astuteness to develop further.

‘e-Skills for Entrepreneurs’ course by the Gauteng e-Skills CoLab Enabling SMMEs with e-skills will assist in driving the economy forward

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The Gauteng e-Skills CoLab: Creative New Media Industries continues to conduct its ‘e-Skills for Entrepreneurs’ course. This month it was held from 12-14 November for 12 delegates from Lesedi La Batho , an NGO that focuses on providing youth and the community with the opportunities and skills to realise their full potential. ‘e-Skills for Entrepreneurs’ is a registered NQF level 5

short course in collaboration with the University of Pretoria where the CoLab is based.

The delegate profile is the ‘survivalist’ entrepreneur, defined as the business owner who uses the money made that day to put food on the table. The course work takes delegates through intermediate to proficient e-skills in ICT applications with a specific focus on business areas that SMMEs require.

Delegates at the ‘e-Skills for Entrepreneurs’ course.

E-Skills and e-astuteness critical for creating broadband demand, wealth equity... [continued]



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A Social Media Bootcamp was held on 12 November 2014 at Rhodes University. This was a collaboration between the Makana Apps Factory, Rhodes University, Walter Sisulu University and iNeSI. Social media is a strategic tool in the digital age and essential for SMMEs.

The course focused on understanding social media and its importance. It also looked at how to grow and engage online audiences, produce and promote content and use free tools to monitor, measure and refine.

The bootcamp was facilitated by members of the Journalism and Media Studies Makana Apps Team. It was attended by delegates from Grahamstown and Keiskammahoek, including people from the music and radio industry, a representative from the ECITI business incubator programme, members of sports clubs and people involved in agriculture.

Social Media Bootcamp in the Eastern Cape Investing in e-skills training to develop SMMEs

The 2014 Lego Robotics Competition was held on 28 November 2014 at Durban University of Technology (DUT). It is a collaboration between the KZN e-Skills CoLab: e-Enablement for Effective Service Delivery (based at DUT) and the Moses Kotane Institute (MKI). One hundred and twenty high school students took part.

The competition seeks to promote and foster an interest in mathematics, programming and logic building in high school pupils. It is part of the Robotics Project, initiated by the KZN e-Skills CoLab in collaboration with MKI. The project has included the training of 30 teachers from technical schools in KZN.

MKI is part of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The institution’s aim is to enhance economic development through science, engineering, technology and mathematics skills.

The 2014 Lego Robotics Competition Developing science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills to create future local service delivery innovations

The Makana Apps Factory is the associated Apps Factory for the Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab: ICT for Rural Development. It is run through a collaboration between the CoLab (based at Walter Sisulu University) with Rhodes University.

Delegates at the Social Media Bootcamp .

Delegates and visitors at the 2014

Lego Robotics Competition.

Limpopo e-Skills CoLab: Connected Health hosts Intel Focus Group Promoting online and digital literacy for women in order to stimulate the economy

Internationally, there are nearly 25% fewer women online than there are men. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are

43% fewer women online than are men. Intel reports that increasing the number of women online by a mere 10% can have an impact of up to 3% on a country’s GDP.

Based at the University of Limpopo, the Limpopo e-Skills CoLab: Connected Health hosted the Intel Focus Group from 10-12 November 2014. Six Intel representatives interacted with three groups of Limpopo women – a group of 15 university students; a group of 15 school learners from St Bede’s High School; and a group of 15 unemployed women from a local community adjacent to the university.

The focus group is part of Intel’s ‘She Will Connect’ initiative. The initiative aims to significantly reduce the gender and technology gap for young women in the 15 to 25 year old age group in emerging markets. Intel is starting in

2014. The course focus was on the programming language, Ruby. Ruby helps build web applications very quickly and is used frequently internationally but not within South Africa.

Part of the staff exchange fellowship involved members of Fondazione Bruno Kessler coming to South Africa and Sibukele Gumbo from MAF and Siyakhula Living Lab going to Italy.

The MAF is the associated app factory for the Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab: ICT for Rural Development. It is a collaboration between the Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab and Rhodes University.




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The Makana Apps Factory (MAF) Eastern Cape Developer Group took part in a series of workshops run by the ICT4G group which is a part of the Italian NGO, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, in collaboration with Rhodes University and Fort Hare University. The ICT4G group uses technology to foster economic and social development. These workshops were hosted by a Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme.

The four RubyonRails Developers Workshops were held in East London, Port Elizabeth and Alice during November

Eastern Cape Developer Group takes part in Ruby workshops Creating much-needed higher level e-skills for global competitiveness and wealth equity

sub-Saharan Africa where the gap is the greatest. The aims of the programme are to:

• Provide the skills and resources needed to empower women to get and stay online safely

• Deliver digital literacy training and promote online

Community participants in the Intel Focus Group at the Limpopo e-Skills CoLab.

For more information about the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute, contact:• Mymoena Sharif, [email protected]• Follow us on Twitter @iNeSI_• Website: www.inesi.org.za

The Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab’s Makana Apps Factory Eastern Cape Developer Group participating in the RubyonRails Developers Workshops in the Eastern Cape.

peer networks and gender-relevant content through the World Pulse platform. (The platform is being built in conjunction with Arizona State University.)

• Build partnerships with leading NGOs, governments and other organisations for scale and impact

The aim of the visit was to ensure that the design of the platform is in line with the wants and needs of the target audience.

END




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Creating awareness around e-skills in deep rural communitiesThe Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Zanele Magwaza-Msibi, held an Ulundi Imbizo on 15 November 2014. The aim was to engage with rural and deep rural communities around the Zululand District Municipality about the work done by government departments and their agencies, as well as to focus on empowering young women through ICT.

The public participation programme included an exhibition, as well speeches by Ms Magwaza-Msibi (Deputy Minister of Higher Education), Mr Mduduzi Manana (Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services) and Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, among others. The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) was represented by the KZN e-Skills CoLab: e-Enablement for Effective Service Delivery.

Creating an information societyProf Mkhize spoke about the Strategic Infrastructure Programme 15 (SIP15) – an integrated and coordinated approach to building ICT infrastructure, stimulating skills development and job creation for economic

development and innovation. She also conveyed the intentions of South Africa Connect, the broadband policy, and the aim of creating an information society as part of South African culture.

Further mention of capacitating people to grow the economy was outlined by the Industrial Development Zones and the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act to support black industrialists.

Focus on e-skills, iNeSI and the KZN e-Skills CoLabThe Deputy Minister highlighted the need for e-skills development – that South Africa needs “to create a pool of skilled people to drive the development of the use of technologies for big data management”. She promoted iNeSI and the KZN e-Skills CoLab (based at Durban University of Technology), as well as the focus on rural and deep rural areas.

The communities were informed of the KZN e-Skills CoLab thematic focus area – e-enablement for effective service delivery, as well as some of the e-skills initiatives such as e-skills training for community development workers.

NDP Priority Areas supported by NeSPA 2013

Pillar 1: Unite around a common pillar to fight poverty and inequality

Pillar 2: Active citizenry

Pillar 3: Inclusive economy

Pillar 4: Build capabilities

Pillar 5: A capable developmental state

Pillar 6: Leadership throughout society to work together to solve problems

iNeSI provincial CoLab thematic areas

Western Cape e-Skills CoLab: e-Inclusion and Social Innovation

KZN e-Skills CoLab: e-Enablement for Effective Service Delivery

Eastern Cape e-Skills CoLab: ICT for Rural Development

Gauteng e-Skills CoLab: Creative New Media Industries

Limpopo CoLab: Connected Health

Southern Gauteng/Northern Cape CoLab: e-Literacy and e-Business (knowledge economy and e-social astuteness)

iNeSI and the KZN e-Skills CoLab promoted at Ulundi Imbizo

Message from the iNeSI Board and ManagementThanking all our stakeholders for their ongoing support and

wishing them a happy 2015.

iNeSI providing a platform for government leadership around e-skills multi-stakeholder collaboration




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The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) is a state-owned enterprise reporting to the Department of

Telecommunications and Postal Services. It is mandated with increasing human resource capacity around e-skills within South Africa. e-Skills and e-astuteness play an important role in addressing wealth inequity in the country, contributing to economic development and establishing South Africa as a globally competitive player.

iNeSI provides a platform for multi-stakeholder collaborations that channel e-skills initiatives. This ensures that interventions are aligned to national policy objectives, reduces duplication and increases impact.

iNeSI aims to facilitate e-skilling South Africa to meet the requirements of the National Development Plan (NDP) – for South Africa to be an e-literate society by 2030. iNeSI is also positioned within South Africa Connect, the broadband policy, as part of Digital Opportunity where e-skills

are needed to create demand for broadband. e-Skills, developing e-astuteness and iNeSI’s role is aligned to other government policies, strategies and interventions. An example is SIP 15.

This state-owned entity provides a platform for government leadership for the purposes of enhancing the country’s developmental agenda, driving the economy and increasing global competitiveness.

This section looks at the Portfolio Committee of Communications oversight visit to the KZN e-Skills CoLab: e-Enablement for Effective Service Delivery. The iNeSI interventions involve: multi-stakeholder collaboration, advocacy and awareness, partnership development, e-astuteness and e-competence development, knowledge for innovation (research), and alignment with national goals – in particular the NDP and Broadband Connect.

On 26 November 2014, members of the Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services (PCPTS) conducted an oversight visit to the KZN e-Skills CoLab: e-Enablement for Effective Service based at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).

The PCPTS has oversight over the South African Post Office, Telkom, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the State Information Technology Agency, the Universal Service and Access Agency of SA, Sentech, the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, the.za Domain Name Authority, and the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI).

The KZN e-Skills CoLab showcased its work within the larger context of iNeSI, as well as its alignment with national policies such as the National Development Plan (NDP) and SA Connect, the broadband policy.

The PCPTS was presented with specific CoLab focus areas such as the current online and interactive courses

Portfolio committee oversight visit to KZN e-Skills CoLab Ensuring alignment with national goals and that targets are met

END

iNeSI’s KZN e-Skills CoLab in the mediaThe iNeSI KZN e-Skills CoLab: e-Enablement for Effective Service Delivery has had numerous appearances in the media:• LotusFM on 26 November 2014 talking on e-voting

and the Namibia elections. (Namibia is due to make history by running the continent’s first electronic elections.)

• Cape Talk Radio on 21 November 2014 talking on e-voting in South Africa. For the podcast, link to https://soundcloud.com/primediabroadcasting/is-sa-ready-for-evoting

• Article on social media in Dolphin Coast Mail on

12 December 2014.• ‘Young South Africans want to vote via the internet,

cellphones and other technology’ article on Sowetan Live, 15 November 2014, commenting on the challenges around mobile voting. See www.sowetanlive.co.za/youthtube/2014/11/15/youth-want-to-swipe-or-click-for-democracy.

• The Lego Robotics Competition and the collaboration between the KZN e-Skills CoLab and the Moses Kotane Institute appeared in the Glenwood Weekly Gazette and there was a talk on Vibe FM on 28 November 2014.

offered by the CoLab, robotics demonstrations from the previous Lego Robotics Competition (hosted in collaboration with the Moses Kotane Institute) and the Sebenza Portal (an employment portal through which community members can offer their skills).

Members of the Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services on an oversight visit to the KZN e-Skills CoLab.

Newsletter Edition 32, 2014page 17Taxonomy for e-skills


An e-skills taxonomy is more than just definitions. The e-skills agenda requires a shift in thinking with outcomes such as changes in policy. The terms used are part of creating the

environment for this shift. Following are definitions for some of the words that form part of the e-skills taxonomy.

e-Astuteness The capacity to continuously appropriate the technology into personal work, education, business, social and family contexts for both personal and collective benefit. e-Astuteness is defined as a knowledgeable capacity, based on personal and interpersonal skills, that involves:• Understanding people and situations• Building alignment and alliances• An acute understanding of strategic direction• Applying strategic behaviour

e-Astuteness allows individuals to take personal advantage of ICT in social or economic situations, through the appropriate e-skills. (Building social connections is an example of a social situation and obtaining a job or starting a business is an example of an economic situation.)

e-Astuteness does not necessarily depend on formal education or high levels of literacy.

e-Literacy e-Literacy is the ability of individuals to use digital tools and facilities to perform tasks, to solve problems, to communicate, to manage information, to collaborate, to create and share content and to build knowledge, in all areas of everyday life and for work.

e-Skills The ability to use and develop ICTs within the context of an emerging South African information society and global knowledge economy, and associated competencies that enable individuals to actively participate in a world in which ICT is a requirement for advancement in government, business, education and society in general.

e-Social astuteness

e-Social Astuteness is defined as the use of ICT and e-skills for more astute ways of people interacting with others, which include:• Social interactions• A level of awareness and understanding of diverse social situations• The various alternatives open to them for response

e-Astuteness focuses on individual benefit whereas e-social astuteness focuses on interacting with others for group benefit.

Official South African definition (from the National e-Skills Plan of Action)The ability to use and develop ICTs within the context of an emerging South African information society and global knowledge economy, and associated competencies that enable individuals to actively participate in the world in which ICT is a requirement for advancement in government, business, education and society in general.

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Newsletter Edition 32, November 2014

Partners in the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute multi-stakeholder collaboration

Please note that this list will be extended as there are Memorandums of Understanding in progress across all sectors.


Education

Government/South Africa

Civil society

Business

Global developmental partners

Kenya Rwanda

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The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI) is a national catalyst, facilitator and responsive change agent in the development of SA, within the globally evolving information and knowledge-based environment, by leading the creation of key e-skills development strategy, solutions, practices and implementation, to benefit the total population. iNeSI focuses primarily on five components: knowledge for innovation (research), e-astuteness (teaching and learning), multi-stakeholder collaboration, innovation and aggregation (monitoring and evaluation framework). iNeSI is a state-owned company and the result of a merger between three institutions: the e-Skills Institute, the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa and the Institute for Satellite and Software Applications.

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