Business
This programme is already making significant strides . One such start-up is currently assisting the Public Protector South Africa to develop and implement a complaints-management system to enhance service delivery and provide better support for citizens . Another has helped to develop a solution for recycling sanitation water at rural schools that significantly reduced their water bill and ensured a continuous cycle of water was available for sanitation purposes . This said , much more needs to be done . The Innovation Hub is already developing a Smart Industry Centre to provide strategic infrastructure and comprehensive technical support for innovators within the digital economy . This will feature a product development laboratory - which aimed to go live by May 2022 with start-up facilities , hot-desking , additive manufacturing or 3D-printing resources , and low-volume manufacturing facilities for developing test products to position startups for offtake agreements or greater investments from government and other private investors .
Nonetheless , private sector clients now need to come on board by bringing their business to small businesses and start-ups , creating new market opportunities . Likewise , government should aim to roll-out these types of centres across the country to provide the support needed to ensure our
Joshua Sortino | Unsplash
The digital economy has potential to open up many opportunities and has already proven to provide significant savings to business through the use of more efficienct methodologies .
global competitiveness , and finally address the social evils of unemployment , poverty and inequality .
Ultimately , the digital economy is at the heart of the technology-enabled protection and implementation of human rights , including the right to basic services , education , and employment opportunities . Innovators are waiting to answer South Africa ’ s most urgent questions – we simply need to ask . RACA
HUMOUR : ENGINEERS AND A DONKEY
Some lessons are easy , others have to involve some level of disaster to understand the bigger picture ! Two engineers ( one older and one newly-graduated ) and a donkey were going to town . The younger engineer rode on the donkey and the older engineer walked .
As they went along , they passed some people who remarked that it was a shame that the old engineer was walking and the young engineer was riding the donkey . The two engineers thought that maybe the critics were right , so they changed positions .
Later , they passed some people who remarked that it was such a shame that the older engineer make that youngster walk . The two engineers decided they would both walk then !
Soon they passed some more people who thought they were silly to walk when they had a decent and
strong donkey to ride on , so they both got on and rode the donkey further .
They then passed another group of people who shamed them by saying how awful it was to put such a load on a poor donkey . The two engineers consulted again and thought perhaps these people were right , and so they decided to try an alternative approach and carry the donkey .
As they came to town the two engineers needed to cross a bridge . Subsequently , as they were navigating the obstacle they lost their grip on the animal and it fell into the river and perished .
So , what is the moral of the story ? When you try to please everyone , something is going to give … RACA
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I July 2022 41