Rapid and widespread digitalisation has changed the nature of work – which makes having digital skills essential for today’s jobs. While the demand is high, the supply of people with these skills is lagging. SA’s injustices are now feeding a new form of disparity which is leading to digital inequality. This has a negative impact on lives and career opportunities, as well as on businesses.

A recent Business Day Dialogue, in partnership with Salesforce, questioned just what will happen to the economy and overall advancement in SA without a focus on digital skills. The discussion also focused on the role of businesses and government to help close the digital divide.

While the Covid-19 pandemic amplified the power of digital, it also highlighted the digital divide, pointed out Zuko Mdwaba, head of sales at Salesforce South Africa. “The crux of the problem is the unequal society we live in.”

Dimakatso Matshoga, chief operating officer at SAtion, said research needs to be conducted to better understand the scale of the problem before solutions can be found. Once the problem is better understood we need an adapted ecosystem to address it. “What works for one community will not necessarily for another,” she said.

Businesses have made significant investments into digital transformation. Given the rapid rate that technology advances, businesses that are not upskilling staff are doing their people a real disservice, said Linda Saunders, head of solution engineering at Salesforce South Africa.

The digital divide starts in childhood with research revealing that there is an impact on children with access to the internet and those without access to the internet – even if they have equal IQ levels.

The fact that the youth are getting left behind is one of the contributing reasons to SA’s high unemployment rates.

The minister of communications and digital technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said that every South African will be given access to 10GB of free data. This is positive, said Tinyiko Simbine, co-founder and CFO of GirlCode. “Many South Africans – including the youth – own a smartphone. Free data means they can upgrade their digital skills which will allow them to access employment opportunities.”

Mdwaba said SA needs to leverage its strengths. One of these strengths is – ironically – a large youth population with a high rate of mobile phone ownership.

But digital comes with its own challenges and opportunities, he pointed out. “Consider, for example, that we’re all vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches. At the same time, cybersecurity is a career opportunity.”

However, no amount of solutions will be effective unless SA can address its energy constraints, he added.

Salesforce offers a free online platform called Trailhead which offers bite-sized, conversational content that aims to make learning complex topics easy to understand and is personalised by roles and level. The platform is available to anybody who can access an internet connection, effectively levelling the playing field to reduce the digital divide and shape a more inclusive future.

Ultimately, the panel agreed there needs to be a more coordinated approach which brings together private and public initiatives to address the digital divide.

To watch the full discussion, click here.