By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has hosted a high-level
delegation from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and
the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to advance
collaboration on South Africa’s digital transformation priorities.
The
delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital
Technologies Mondli Gungubele and ICASA Board Chairperson Mothibi Ramusi, and
was received by CSIR Chief Executive Officer Thulani Dlamini on April 1, 2026.
The
meeting builds on an earlier engagement held in January, where both parties
identified priority areas and opportunities for cooperation. Discussions during
the latest visit focused on strengthening partnerships to support the country’s
digital transformation agenda.
Key
areas of collaboration include expanding broadband connectivity, advancing
artificial intelligence development and adoption, and enhancing cybersecurity
capabilities. The engagement reflects ongoing efforts to align public sector
institutions and research bodies in addressing national digital challenges.
Officials
emphasized the importance of leveraging local expertise and innovation capacity
to deliver sustainable digital solutions, noting that strengthened
collaboration between government and research institutions will be critical to
scaling impact across the economy.
