The Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services has, in principle, finalised and adopted the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute Bill [B10-2018].

The Bill was first presented to the committee by the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services on 22 May 2018 and has since been redrafted by the committee. It seeks to integrate the department’s three e-skills development institutes into one institution, called the Ikamva National e-Skills Institute (iNeSI), which will provide guidance and support at a national level.

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Jabu Mahlangu, said that digital skills development will take place at provincial level, through CoLabs situated at host universities.

“The CoLabs will interact with provincial role players at the level of government, academia, business and society. In the process, they will use existing and new intermediaries who will present programmes for digital skilling at all levels of society. The digital skilling will be a multifaceted approach, with multiple effects,” said Mr Mahlangu.

The institute will also contribute to the development of the digital skills required in the fourth industrial revolution. Furthermore, it will play a key role in ensuring that all citizens are digitally skilled and can reap the benefits of this revolution, in line with the National Development Plan.

Mr Mahlangu extended a word of thanks to members of the committee, support staff, Parliament’s Legal Services, the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa and the department for contributing to the bill.

“I am confident that the National Assembly will agree with the committee and adopt the Bill, in its current form,” said Mr Mahlangu.