By MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – THE historic Kliptown in Soweto is set to host the inaugural e-Kasi Tech Festival and Gaming Expo later this month.
The expo is set for Walter Sisulu Square on October 25 to 27.
The i-Village Foundation and its business, ICT, education and consulting partners will stage South Africa’s biggest ever gathering of policy makers, industry players, entrepreneurs and experts in township technology innovation.
Mpho Tladi, i-Village Chief Operating Officer (COO) and member of the expo Organising Committee, pointed out the World Bank says almost 40 percent of South Africa’s working age population lives in townships and informal settlements, yet they hardly feature in the country’s ICT scene.
“South African democracy took hold in the country’s townships and now they have a role to play in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Tladi said.
The event will specifically provide a platform for entrepreneurs, ICT pioneers and the youth to engage each other and exchange ideas about the ownership, management and participation of small and medium entreprises in townships.
“The support of our valued partners means attendance at the e-Kasi Tech Festival & Gaming Expo is free and we encourage participants to come learn about the digital transformation of the African economy,” Tladi added.
In addition, developing the e-Kasi Innovation Economy, Smart Cities,Blockchain Technologies, Bitcoin and the SA eSports Symposium will all feature during the three-day Tech Fest.
Speakers include the Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services – Stella Ndabeni Abrahams, Lorien Gamaroff – Chief Executive Officer of Banky Moon, Dr Erika Kraemer – Mbula Professor at the
University of Johannesburg, Cambridge Mokanyane – CEO of VS Gaming and Mr Warren Hero – Chief Technical Officer of Microsoft SA, among others.
Located about 17 km south-west of Johannesburg. Kliptown is the oldest residential district of Soweto. In 1955, it hosted a congress that saw the declaration and adoption of the Freedom Charter, which set out the aims and aspirations of the opponents of apartheid.
– Guardian
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