the dti to Set Up 10 Digital Hubs to Bridge Digital Divide – Deputy Minister Gina

The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ms Nomalungelo Gina, says the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will establish ten digital hubs across the country in order to bridge the digital divide amongst the township residents and equip young people with skills and knowledge to prepare them for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“The South African government has committed to prioritising the creation of digital hubs as part of its efforts to skill the country’s youth. Youth unemployment remains high and requires concerted efforts to deal with it. The digital hubs seek to provide young people with skills and access to e-Learning opportunities, basic business development support and business intelligence in order to encourage them to pursue entrepreneurship,” says Gina.

The digital hubs will serve as training centres for community members, access to the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities, and incubation for mainly young entrepreneurs operating in the ICT sector. The hubs will be located inside the state-owned industrial parks that are currently supported by the dti under the revitalisation programme and form part of initiatives to support the township and rural industrial economy.

“The hubs will also provide a unique focus on aspects relating to business formation and information, supplier development, value-chain support and the new world of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” adds Gina.

The hubs will focus on creating a central meeting point for technology, innovation and creative businesses in the areas surrounding the industrial parks. This will support start-up accelerator programmes, business incubators and training programmes.

Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (012) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade and Industry
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti

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