Ramaphosa puts digital transformation at core of SA’s economic rebound
· Citizen
President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed digital transformation at the heart of South Africa’s economic “rebound,” and that technology is no longer a luxury sector, but the foundation of the country’s entire industrial strategy.
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Ramaphosa made the remarks in a packed hall of global CEOs and financiers at the Sandton Convention Centre on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, during the 6th South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC).
Digital divide
South Africa has among the highest internet penetration rates on the continent, but a digital divide persists, leaving many young people without internet access.
Ramaphosa framed his remarks around the “3Ds” (Digitisation, Decarbonisation, and Diversification), highlighting South Africa as a future-focused economy with significant opportunities in technology.
Smartphone penetration
The President framed South Africa’s high smartphone penetration and near-universal internet access not just as social milestones, but as “world-class digital infrastructure” ready for commercial exploitation.
“We are positioning South Africa as the leading hub for digital and financial services on the continent,” Ramaphosa said.
“By modernising our regulatory framework through the Omnibus Fast-tracking Act, we are digitising the very process of doing business-from permits to licensing-to ensure speed and transparency.”
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Digital transformation
Ramaphosa said digital transformation holds significant potential for economic growth and investment.
“South Africa already has world-class digital infrastructure, near-universal internet access and smartphone penetration, and a regulatory environment that enables innovation. We are implementing reforms that will create a digitally enabled economy and position South Africa as a leading hub for digital and financial services.
“In these ways, we are positioning South Africa to become a major player in the economy of the future, combining the lowest-cost solar and wind power in the world with advanced digital infrastructure and a skilled workforce that can compete at a global level,” Ramaphosa said.
AI
Ramaphosa added that Pretoria is positioning South Africa as the continent’s leading hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing.
“The significant commitments we have seen today, part of our new R2 trillion target, demonstrate that the world sees our potential. With the support of partners like the European Union and the UAE, we are building the digital infrastructure necessary to drive a just transition that leaves no South African behind in the digital age.”
Bilateral talks
The conference saw significant movement in the tech space, highlighted by high-level bilateral talks between Ramaphosa and Google. Discussions focused on scaling investments in cloud infrastructure, data centres and AI.
These partnerships are intended to provide South African SMEs with the digital tools necessary to compete in a globalised market.
In a move to link the country’s energy crisis with its digital future, Ramaphosa argued that South Africa’s transition to low-cost solar and wind power would create a unique “energy-digital nexus.”
This combination aims to attract energy-intensive data centres and tech manufacturing plants looking for sustainable, cost-effective hubs.
Investment
The 2026 SAIC concluded with a massive R889.8 billion in total investment pledges across 81 projects.
With a significant portion of these funds directed toward innovation, Ramaphosa’s message was clear: South Africa is betting its future on becoming Africa’s premier digital economy.
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