By Godwin Olawale
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Solly Malatsi, a member of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), as the new Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.
The ruling party, ANC’s loss of its parliamentary majority in the recently concluded elections on May 29 signalled South Africans are demanding change and accountability from their leaders. ANC secured only 40.18% of parliament votes in that election, well behind the 50% needed to form a government, and needing multi-party coalition partners to form a Government of National Unity (GNU).
A decade’s worth of experience: Malatsi brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He has been a Member of Parliament since 2014 and previously served as the DA’s national spokesperson.
Throughout his career, Malatsi has been an advocate for digital transformation in South Africa. He has consistently pushed for policies to improve broadband access, particularly in underserved rural areas, and has championed initiatives to boost digital literacy across the country.
And a laden sector: However, Malatsi inherits a tech sector facing significant challenges. South African citizens still lack reliable internet access. Additionally, the state-owned telecommunications company, Telkom, has faced ongoing financial difficulties and efficiency issues.
South African Post Office and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) are also facing financial ruin, with the latter operating at a loss of R608 million ($33,000,000) last reported—despite previous bailout sums received from the government running into billions of rands.
Analysts hope Malatsi’s appointment will help resolve these crises with legacy, state-owned companies, and finalise South Africa’s spectrum policy regarding artificial intelligence and satellite technologies, ushering in previously shut-out players like Starlink.