INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN SOUTH-AFRICA - PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

South Africa's policy of apartheid has resulted in a nation where First World splendor coexists with Third World squalor. Illiteracy, limited educational opportunities, and sanctions by other nations have all helped to skew the development of information technologies in South Africa. Moreover, private industry and education sectors have not provided a supportive environment for research. The institutions providing most of the IT-related education in the nation are increasingly integrated, but resources are strained and faculty often lack the experience and qualifications typical of faculty in other industrial nations. Not surprisingly, South Africa has always had difficulty meeting its IT manpower needs. The emigration of many skilled IT workers exacerbates the problem. It will take decades, the authors believe, to correct past educational inequities; meanwhile, there will be a dearth of black IT leaders. The authors stress that IT's role in economic development and education should not be forgotten as the government determines priorities. Indeed, the African National Congress identified IT's importance as critical to economic growth. Perhaps the most critical of the new government's tasks is to manage expectations by setting - and meeting - realistic goals so that IT can serve a greater number of citizens and thereby gain sufficient public support, the authors conclude.