Crime, slow IT uptake ‘make SA less able

[rpm]

"SA HAS fallen one slot in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual Global Competitiveness Report rankings, released yesterday, mainly because of the business community’s concern about crime and the country’s inability to adopt new information technologies.

While SA’s sound macroeconmic policies are praised, the WEF says business “continues to be concerned about rising crime and corruption, which add to business costs and undermine productivity”.

Added to this was the erosion in indicators showing access in SA to computers and the internet — at a time when other countries, particularly in Asia, are moving ahead speedily on these fronts — and in the university enrolment rate."

 

[MFour]

"While SA’s sound macroeconmic policies are praised, the WEF says business “continues to be concerned about rising crime and corruption, which add to business costs and undermine productivity”.

Added to this was the erosion in indicators showing access in SA to computers and the internet — at a time when other countries, particularly in Asia, are moving ahead speedily on these fronts — and in the university enrolment rate."

I think I saw an ostrich somewhere with it's head in a hole.

 

[ebis]

This is sad. Just sad.

It seems that our government is really waiting for IT productivity in this country to hit rock bottom before anything really gets done to boost this sector... like reducing the high telecoms costs that we're victims of.

I just don't understand why the hell the government isn't VERY concerned at the rate our IT sector (and other sectors) is suffering as a result of our telecoms costs. Cause if they were REALLY serious about making SA part of the "information village", this whole nonsense about "managed liberalisation" would be scrapped so we can see some progress much faster! I just don't understand what government's real motives are with this "managed liberalisation" crap. Really.

 

[antowan]

Ivy is probably laughing somewhere in a DoC office thinking to herself: "Hey, I am not the only technophobe in SA... look how people are shying away from computers and telecommunications. It is not the price of it all that is keeping the figures low it is the low demand keeping prices so high."...

 

[ajak]

look

DSL service has become available for less than the cost of a dial-up connection only in the past few months. In June, SBC announced a one-year promotion to offer its DSL service for $14.95. Just last month, Verizon Communications followed suit with a slower-speed offering that also costs $14.95. Some experts believe that this could have a significant impact on today's dial-up customers.

"The (telephone companies') challenge is persuading the people plunking along on AOL dial-up to switch to broadband," Penhune said. "And I think the $15 products are just the thing."

 

[bb_matt]

Well, fact is, IT people are still leaving in their droves.
My brothers brother-in-law left a few months back and although it was mainly for a working holiday, I think the lure of pounds will see him there for some time. His sister went for a year, she's been there for two now, with no signs of coming back here soon.

In fact, a LOT of my friends left, not really because of crime, but for work opportunities.

That's the main reason I'm heading off to London - it's booming at the moment and there's good money to be made.

In contrast, I'm stagnating here - my career isn't going further and I point blank refuse to work for the peanuts web dev companies are paying. There are so many people desperate for work, it's driving salaries down.

I make more freelance than I could ever expect to make in a company, but I'm not gaining any experience. I'm also not the dynamic businessman, prefering to be in an office all day.

South Africa is getting left behind rapidly in IT.

If a young IT person, fresh out of Uni or with a few months experience can get a job in London, earning a far higher salary and getting major Kudos on the CV, this country has a problem.

And it's not just IT people - it's all professions.

The way I see it, this government needs to implement a massive public works scheme to boost the infrastructure, or it faces having to pay very high fees for international skills.

 

[ajak]

And then the IT professional still gets treated like a necessary evil ,it is more difficult for a IT manager to get funds for a new program than for any other dept, as most ppl want to see what they get for their bucks( to buy new computers a visible component)no problem, but new software uh uh and then every body bitches if things goe wrong no wonder ppl in IT get frustrated and leave,cause ten to one the big boss is a AH that has no clue as to what is is going on.

 

[bb_matt]

Well, I'm going to try to do my bit when in London.

I'll promote the better aspects of South Africa and just say "**** happens everywhere in the world"

No point in dissing a country, rather try to promote it to get more positive energy and all that.

 

[bb_matt]

http://www.weforum.org/site/homepub...eness+Programme\Global+Competitiveness+Report

 

[RoosTa]

I say we purchase this and send it to her royal ivyness

 

[w1z4rd]

One word. Telkom.

 

[skydog]

the problem with IT here is that all this broadband stuff is new here. after all do we actually have broadband in this country.

I have to agree with bb_matt you have to promote the good. there is a lot of it but we always get stuck in a rutt of Telkom, crime, crime, telkom, telkom, crime, telkom, crime, telkom = crime, telkom > crime, telkom.

well I guess w1z4rd summed it up.