Do not leave your culture and your business when you hear us talking about technology. Embrace technology to enhance your life. This is the main message from Refiloe Ntoi, a Lecturer in the Department of Nature Conservation after attending the International Women Day at Durban’s International Conference Centre on 8 March 2023.
Ntoi said the KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube asked women to flood the information technology environment. The Premier’s message to the 500 women that attended the event was that information technology is for everyone and everyone can benefit from it. The Premier re-iterated the theme of the 2023 International Women’s Day, that of embracing equity; women have a right to equitable access to all resources, including IT and related resources. The Premier further stressed the urgent need to equip women with appropriate, relevant IT skills so that they can make a significant difference in the livelihoods of their communities.
For her part, Ntoi said she gained a lot from the meeting. “I have been involved in IT wherein I brought students from different departments to use IT to enhance their lives and studies. My standpoint is that people should consider IT as a tool to improve their lives, not as a competitor. This is the essence of the 5IR,” Ntoi said.
Ntoi said the meeting with the Premier not only assured her that she was on the right track, but encouraged her to do more to add to the 11% of South African women involved in IT.