Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (Grade C+)

Department
Communications and Digital Technologies

Key Goals

1. Ensure broadcast digital migration: In progress
2. Establish an artificial intelligence hub: In progress
3. Digitise the government: In progress

Analysis

It has been more than a year since President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Khumbudzo Ntshavheni as minister of communications and digital technologies and, although there have been wins, other projects are still works in progress. 

South Africa’s digital migration is 11 years behind. Last year, Khumbudzo appointed a steering committee to expedite the country’s long-delayed migration from analogue to digital. The deadline was January and that was not met. The deadline was moved to March, which was also missed. 

The department’s goal is to reach 100% access to the internet by 2024. 

On 30 November, Ntshavheni launched the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa for universities, research institutions and businesses to work together to implement solutions for some of Africa’s problems. The institute is being established in partnership with the Johannesburg Business School of the University of Johannesburg and the Tshwane University of Technology. It will open in 2023. 

There were also plans to digitise the government and, as a result, Digitech was unveiled. This platform is a digital distribution service developed, maintained and operated by the government. Its purpose is to centralise products and apps developed by small, medium and micro enterprises.
In September, Ntshavheni threatened to declare the SABC board delinquent  for reckless trading. This comes after it failed to submit a revenue improvement plan in June this year. The public broadcaster incurred a loss of almost R1 billion. According to the SABC’s financial statements for 2020-21 the public broadcaster made a net loss of R530 million compared with the previous year.

Ministers

Cyril Ramaphosa	David Mabuza	Maite Nkoana-Mashabane	Fikile Mbalula
Angie Motshekga	Aaron Motsoaledi	Nathi Mthethwa	Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Mmamoloko Kubayi	Thandi Ruth Modise	Khumbudzo Ntshavheni	Ebrahim Patel
Naledi Pandor	Mathume Joseph Phaahla	Pravin Gordhan	Senzo Mchunu
Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams	Lindiwe Sisulu	Thokozile Didiza	Lindiwe Zulu
Patricia DeLille	Ronald Lamola	Barbara Creecy	Bheki Cele
Blade Nzimande	Mondli Gungubele	Enoch Godongwana	Gwede Mantashe
	Thulas Nxesi (Public Service and Administration)	Thulas Nxesi (Employment and Labour)