The need for leadership and sovereignty in South Africa's digital future

South Africans coming from different disciplines contributing immensely to the power of technology and experience in liberating society is exemplary. Eldrid Jordaan on the Govchat vs Meta and Zakes Mda vs Anthropic are epic in the era of information technology.

- Eldrid Jordaan is a Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg. Pali Lehohla is a Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg and former Statistician General of South Africa. The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL.

As I began my book tour in Washington DC this week for The Silicon Empire vs Social Impact: The David and Goliath Battle, I was reminded how the lessons from my journey as the founder of GovChat connect directly to what the world will debate this week in Cape Town at the Global Digital Public Infrastructure Summit.

When governments collaborate with the private sector to build the systems that define oursocieties, we must ensure that public interest and not private profit set the terms. Jordaan has set the parameters for the continent by virtue of precedent of GovChat's victory over Meta and Facebook.