Replace driving instructors with robots — Mabuyane

Driving instructors could join the list of jobs to be replaced by robots, if Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has his way.

Speaking at the 15th annual ICT Summit in East London on Wednesday, Mabuyane said those involved in the technology sector should look into developing simulators to replace driving instructors to root out corruption.

“We must remove the human element in that process, because it is giving us drivers who apply their own set of rules on our roads and this endangers many lives on our roads,” he said.

“As ICT people, I believe you can innovate simulation vehicles and [applications] that can perform the task of testing people for driving licences and end the rot of corruption in that system,” he said.

Mabuyane said there were already pockets of excellence where ICT was giving people phenomenal results in  government.

“The department of economic development, environmental affairs and tourism is using an online system called eVaya.

“We are extending that system to the office of the premier in this financial year.

“We are also rolling out citizen engagement applications such as the Thetha Nathi of the OR Tambo District, Sikuncende Njani of the department of education, the Khawuleza Hotline in [my office] and the Have I Been Paid invoice tracking application of the provincial treasury which received rave reviews at the World Congress of United Cities and Local Governments held in Durban last week.”

Mabuyane said connectivity was a central cog of the provincial development plan’s vision to become a connected and enterprising province.

The premier said government would prioritise rural schools’ connectivity at 100MB, as opposed to the 10MB that other provinces were doing.

“This broadband project would also allow video conferencing and online learning which would be used for e-learning to improve outcomes in maths and science.

“We are also targeting to have 1 Gig connectivity in our all our hospitals to improve health services and preservation of human life.”

Mabuyane said 3-D technology was already being explored for the possibility of printing transplant organs.

During his speech, Mabuyane announced a partnership with Liquid Telecom South Africa to establish two digital innovation and skills development hubs.

One would be in East London and the other in Mthatha.

“One of the most common conversations we are having in our province is how to reduce crime that is affecting our society and in particular women, children and businesses.

“We need communal Wi-Fi-cameras that can be rolled out in rural settlements using broadband connectivity capability to fight crime in rural areas.

“Again, we yearn for technological innovations to curb stock theft which is affecting small-scale farmers in our province and the ICT sector can assist in this regard.

“All of this work of rolling out the broadband project will open up business opportunities for the private sector.

“When we talk about digital inclusion, we also mean the ICT circle must be made bigger to allow new entrants in the untransformed ICT space, particularly to increase the participation of black-owned businesses,” Mabuyane said.