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The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) is in the process of establishing a digital hub in the Seshego Industrial Park as part of the almost R50 million phase two revitalisation of the park. The project is part of the department’s Revitalisation of Industrial Parks Programme whose objective is to upgrade state-owned industrial parks with the aim of attracting investments, creating jobs and promoting industrialisation to develop the rural and township economy. 

In 2018 the dtic completed the first phase of the revitalisation of the Seshego Industrial Park, which focused mainly on the security aspects of the park, at a cost of  almost R30 million. The second phase will include renovating several warehouses inside the park. One of the warehouses will be converted into a digital hub, which is part of the Digital Hubs Programme that the dtic and other key stakeholders will be rolling out in revitalised industrial parks across the country. 

The first completed digital hub was officially opened at the Botshabelo Industrial Park in Bloemfontein in April this year.

 The hubs serve as centres of excellence established to promote digitalisation and industrialisation to stimulate the township and rural economy due to the location of the industrial parks.  The hubs are also aimed at connecting communities through digital and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) related skills training, business development support services, access to work spaces, as well as provide access to training on cross-cutting skills.

According to the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Fikile Majola, the digital hubs initiative is a response by the dtic to the challenges relating to technology access for the rural and township communities. 

“The focus of the digital hubs is on creating a central meeting point for business, technology, innovation and creative businesses in the respective regions. The hub in Seshego will serve as a platform for the developing of solutions in a conducive environment by providing access to facilities designed for business activities, creative solutions; start-up accelerator programmes business incubators skills development and training programmes designer spaces and other job creation initiatives. This is part of our efforts to promote digital transformation and empowering our youth particularly in the township and rural areas to equip themselves for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” says Majola. 

In order to prepare the young people of Seshego and surrounding areas to take full advantage of the digital hub in their area, the Limpopo Connexion, an entity of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda), will host a hackathon from 24-25 June 2022. 

Issued by The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)