[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

5 May 2006

The Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr Radhakrishna Padayachie (Roy), will visit the Republic of Cuba from 8 to 11 May 2006, where he is expected to finalise and sign the SA/Cuba Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) programme of action.

The visit comes after an agreement entered into by the South African and Cuban governments on ICT development in 2003. In the accord, the two countries agreed to work together on the implementation of ICT programmes in both countries.

Mr Padayachie will be accompanied by Dr Keith Shongwe, the Deputy Director-General of Strategic Policy Coordination and Integration in the Department of Communications and Mr Mokwining Nhlapo, the Chief Operations Officer of the Presidential National Commission, a body that advises President Thabo Mbeki on the country’s information society programme.

Cuba, which has made a number of technological advancements, is a strategic partner in the implementation of ICTs, and South Africa aims to benefit greatly from their ICT programmes.

The SA/Cuba ICT agreement provides for the establishment of a Joint Committee that will identify ICT projects that both countries could implement, and share experiences.

The visit will also initiate the process to formally establish SA/Cuba ICT Business Forum.

The Deputy Minister will be accompanied by delegates from the following private entities that will form part of the pioneering team to explore ways and means to strengthen SA/Cuba relations in the ICT field.

* South African Broadcasting Corporation,
* Choice Technologies,
* Telezer0,
* Ibhubesi Information Technologies,
* Dimension Data, and
* LTM Cell (Pty) Ltd.

During the visit to Havana, Deputy Minister Padayachie will also oversee the signing of an agreement between the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the Cuban Institution for Radio and Television (CIRTV), which will see the two broadcasters embark on exchange and collaboration programmes.

The Deputy Minister is also scheduled to visit the Cuban University of Informatics and Sciences, which is well known as the Institution for the Future, this is a unique institution of higher learning that offers both professional training for young informatics science specialists in Cuba.

The institution also offers student’s professional experience in secondary fields that has resulted in the adoption by the UCI of innovative ways of teaching that meets the highest international standards in research and development.

Says Deputy Minister Padayachie about the visit to Cuba: “We are looking forward to this exchange visit as it builds on a foundation of a longstanding solidarity that exists between the people of Cuba and South Africa as well as the respective Governments.”

“We are eager to take our partnership and collaboration to the next logical stage in eradicating poverty and accelerating economic development, of particular importance would be the opportunity that will come out of this visit to grow the electronic content industry in SA.”

Enquiries: Richard Mantu
Cell: 072 488 1520

Issued by: Department of Communications
5 May 2006