Definition of Data

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Main Focus of Document

In the briefing and consultation sessions held across government in 2019, a few key questions wereasked, such as: What actual digital skills should the strategy focus on? Is there a clearly definable setof digital skills that can or should be set down in a strategy document that should be given attention bygovernment, or encouraged by government, through funding and other mechanisms? Setting downspecific digital skills may be a narrow approach, rather than a strategic approach to digital skillsdevelopment, given that digital skills apply to any and every aspect of economic endeavour and socialactivity. If the world is indeed experiencing a skills revolution, then it is impossible to limit the landscapeof skills development to a choice or selection of particular skills over and above others, as it would beimpossible to predict which skills will be most needed.Therefore, the strategy sets out many layers at which digital skills should be given attention, and manymechanisms for advancing digital skills. It consciously avoids setting out specific digital skills, as suchan approach would risk excluding continuously emerging new areas of skills development and newareas of technology application. The strategy does refer (see Figure 5.2) to digital technology fields andnew job descriptors, but this represents only a sample of the real technology fields and a very smallsample of job descriptions. It can be argued that every job either is changing or will change, as digitalTechnology penetrate more and more economic and social activities. Therefore, the strategy has abroad focus, with a few key targeted directions. Most importantly, the strategy considers the need for (i)a diversity of digital skills, (ii) priority skills areas, and (iii) convergence of digital skills with subject matterknowledge, for example in the case of digital health professionals. While priority areas for digital skillscan be supported in the short term, and revised on a regular basis as the nature of skills demand andsupply changes, the real strength of any national strategy lies in the diversity of skills produced, givingthe country the capacity to adjust and adapt to local and global skills demand cycles. The emphasismust be on diversity with respect to skills, with respect to the skills development programmes andassociated curricula, and with respect to jobs and forms of employment.The strategy highlights three Strategic Implications for the success of its implementation; that is (1)implication for economy, society and education which calls on the education sectors inclusive of SETAsto build a strong focus and invest in digital skills as well as invest in the development of digital innovationskills, including in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, postal services, and health services to mention afew. (2) Cybersecurity which emphasises on encouraging equal attention to cybersecurity skills as toany other digital skills. Programming for cybersecurity should be encouraged as learning programmesat various levels through the school and post-school years, and using mechanisms from self-learning toshort courses and of course degree programmes. (3) Monitoring and evaluation is emphasised as amechanism to build strong resilience for the successful implementation of the strategy.This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za12 No. 43730 GOVERNMENT GAZE

Target Beneficiaries or Sector

Key Elements

In the briefing and consultation sessions held across government in 2019, a few key questions were
asked, such as: What actual digital skills should the strategy focus on? Is there a clearly definable set
of digital skills that can or should be set down in a strategy document that should be given attention by
government, or encouraged by government, through funding and other mechanisms? Setting down
specific digital skills may be a narrow approach, rather than a strategic approach to digital skills
development, given that digital skills apply to any and every aspect of economic endeavour and social
activity. If the world is indeed experiencing a skills revolution, then it is impossible to limit the landscape
of skills development to a choice or selection of particular skills over and above others, as it would be
impossible to predict which skills will be most needed.
Therefore, the strategy sets out many layers at which digital skills should be given attention, and many
mechanisms for advancing digital skills. It consciously avoids setting out specific digital skills, as such
an approach would risk excluding continuously emerging new areas of skills development and new
areas of technology application. The strategy does refer (see Figure 5.2) to digital technology fields and
new job descriptors, but this represents only a sample of the real technology fields and a very small
sample of job descriptions. It can be argued that every job either is changing or will change, as digital
Technology penetrate more and more economic and social activities. Therefore, the strategy has a
broad focus, with a few key targeted directions. Most importantly, the strategy considers the need for (i)
a diversity of digital skills, (ii) priority skills areas, and (iii) convergence of digital skills with subject matter
knowledge, for example in the case of digital health professionals. While priority areas for digital skills
can be supported in the short term, and revised on a regular basis as the nature of skills demand and
supply changes, the real strength of any national strategy lies in the diversity of skills produced, giving
the country the capacity to adjust and adapt to local and global skills demand cycles. The emphasis
must be on diversity with respect to skills, with respect to the skills development programmes and
associated curricula, and with respect to jobs and forms of employment.
The strategy highlights three Strategic Implications for the success of its implementation; that is (1)
implication for economy, society and education which calls on the education sectors inclusive of SETAs
to build a strong focus and invest in digital skills as well as invest in the development of digital innovation
skills, including in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, postal services, and health services to mention a
few. (2) Cybersecurity which emphasises on encouraging equal attention to cybersecurity skills as to
any other digital skills. Programming for cybersecurity should be encouraged as learning programmes
at various levels through the school and post-school years, and using mechanisms from self-learning to
short courses and of course degree programmes. (3) Monitoring and evaluation is emphasised as a
mechanism to build strong resilience for the successful implementation of the strategy.
This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za
12 No. 43730 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23 SEPTEMBER 2020
Digital and Future Skills Strategy South Africa
2 | Page
Executive Summary
This strategy envisages a society of digitally skilled South Africans. This Digital and Future Skills
Strategy, prepared by the Department of Communications and Digital Technology (DCDT) sets out a
structured series of initiatives intended to contribute to the capacities of South Africans to meet the
challenges arising from the increasing deployment and adoption of digital Technology in economy and
society, understanding that the digital revolution (using cloud Technology that enable big data; bringing
virtual and augmented reality into a real world environment; introducing autonomous vehicles and
drones; making Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics and 3D printing part of everyday life)
occurs within the context of the broader Fourth Industrial Revolution (working with advanced materials,
biotechnology innovations, and the wider landscape of scientific innovation). The combined impact of
these technology trends is having a substantial impact on the world of work, on schooling, education
and research, individuals and communities.
This strategy presents a vision of a South Africa in which all its people are able to benefit from enhanced
digital skills, thereby contributing to a significantly enhanced quality of life, improved education and
higher economic growth. Digital skills are one of the key skills sets required for the creation of new kinds
of 21st century jobs. Originality, agility, critical thinking and problem-solving are important 21st century
skills that must be interwoven with digital skills.
The strategy elements needed to realise the digital skills vision will need to be undertaken by a range
of stakeholders, including government, private sector, and educational institutions, who should engage
in continuous, structured consultation, collaboration and co-ordination involving all stakeholders.
Guidelines for such strategy elements and stakeholder collaboration are set out below. The strategy is
underpinned by current research and its implementation will be assessed through ongoing monitoring
and evaluation. The strategy is organised as eight interconnected strategy elements, each with a set of
strategic action points, 28 action points in all. Government and other stakeholders can design their
specific action plans pursuant to this broad strategy direction.
The first four strategy elements relate to the relationships across government-industry-organised labourcommunities-universities-training institutions, and focus on:
Strategy element 1: Digital foundations: Basic and intermediate digital skills, which identifies three key
interdependent areas of initiative to develop digital skills, namely:
• Designing, writing content for and continuously revising curricula to build a wide range of digital
skills, constantly adapting to changing knowledge needs;
• Building capacity to ensure all educators are empowered with digital skills and that these skills
remain current;
• Providing access to the necessary infrastructure that enables digital skills and making sure this
is operational, secure and sustainable. 
This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za
STAATSKOERANT, 23 SEPTEMBER 2020 No. 43730 13
Digital and Future Skills Strategy South Africa
3 | Page
Strategy element 2: Digital futures and mastery: Building advanced digital skills, where strategy
elements include tertiary curriculum reform; capacity-building for lecturing staff; promoting research
related to the digital skills revolution; developing and promoting usage of mobile open online courses to
develop digital skills on a widespread basis; and measures to strengthen the CoLabs, tech hubs and all
related institutions.
Strategy element 3: Skills for Industry 4.0 and the world of work, which recognises the need for
research into the impact of the digital revolution on South Africa’s labour market, notes that the current
skills gaps need to be addressed, and that school-leavers need to be equipped with work-ready digital
skills. Programmes are required to reskill those displaced by digital Technology, as well as to provide
ongoing upskilling in the workplace, including in government itself where the transition to digital
government requires such upskilling.
Strategy element 4: Creating Society 4.0 and addressing the digital skills divide recognises the
challenge of the digital skills divide with many disadvantaged by race, gender, geographic location, and
income, highlighting the need to equip individuals and communities with digital skills, to empower them
as citizens and for effective participation in the 21st century society.
The remaining four strategy elements are cross-cutting to the above four, namely:
Strategy element 5: Building digital skills awareness, where the success of any digital skills strategy
depends on a high-profile campaign of engagement to ensure digital skills development is on the
national agenda, through flagship events, supported by ongoing stakeholder engagement, and a variety
of measures to build public awareness of the issues, options and opportunities.
Strategy element 6: Research and monitoring on digital skills, noting that a strategy for the effective
development of digital skills needs to be supported by a benefits realisation approach at national and
institutional levels, as well as by adequate data and practical research in order to assist in monitoring
and reporting on the effectiveness of the strategy implementation, as well as the relevance and
resilience of the strategy elements.

Policy/Regulation Mirrors

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