South Africa’s Digital Transformation: Understanding the Limits of Traditional Policies and the Potential of Alternative Approaches

Abstract

This paper analyses the readiness of South African information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for the implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, which has been highly prioritised by policymakers in recent years. The discussion is centred around examples of smart cities and connectivity. Opportunities have been identified in the form of complimentary bottom-up initiatives. The analysis of the current state of internet access in South Africa, underlying infrastructure and policy developments are essential for understanding the bottlenecks for proceeding with the digital transformation agenda.