The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government, in partnership with the Moses Kotane Research Institute, hosted the Provincial Digital Transformation Strategy Workshop in Durban on Thursday, 10 September 2026.

Held at the Moses Kotane Research Institute under the theme, “From Strategy to Execution: Accelerating Digital Transformation 2025–2030,” the engagement brought together senior government officials, public entities, academics, researchers, technology partners and other stakeholders to review and strengthen the province’s digital transformation agenda.

The workshop focused on the KwaZulu-Natal Digital Transformation Strategy for 2025–2030 and provided an opportunity to assess lessons from previous implementation, identify gaps and refine interventions required to position the province for the next phase of digital development.

The Provincial Government emphasised that digital transformation can no longer be regarded solely as an Information and Communication Technology function, but must be recognised as a strategic enabler of government operations, service delivery, evidence-based decision-making and economic development.

The province’s ambition is clear: by 2030, KwaZulu-Natal must not only be digitally connected, but digitally smarter.

The strategy envisages a province that is digitally connected, digitally skilled and digitally enabled, where technology strengthens government institutions, improves the delivery of services and expands opportunities for citizens.

Central to the strategy are key pillars including connectivity, digital skilling, information and knowledge management, and information security.

Through the connectivity pillar, the province aims to expand broadband infrastructure, digital connectivity and public Wi-Fi, while strengthening the resilience of digital infrastructure and ensuring that rural and underserved communities are not left behind.

Digital skilling will focus on strengthening ICT capacity, digital literacy and emerging competencies such as artificial intelligence across government and communities to ensure that citizens are better positioned to participate in the digital economy.

The strategy also places significant emphasis on information governance, knowledge management and cybersecurity to ensure that government information and digital assets are protected within a secure and trusted environment.

The workshop acknowledged that rapidly evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, automation and data analytics are fundamentally changing the manner in which governments, businesses and societies operate.

Participants were therefore challenged to consider whether the province is moving quickly enough and where implementation, investment and institutional capacity need to be accelerated to achieve the 2030 vision.

A whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach was identified as essential to delivering the strategy.

Provincial departments, municipalities, public entities, the private sector, telecommunications companies, technology providers, academia, research institutions, civil society and development partners all have an important role to play in accelerating digital transformation.

The Provincial Government further emphasised the importance of moving beyond transactional relationships with industry towards strategic partnerships aligned with provincial priorities and measurable outcomes.

These partnerships are expected to support the expansion of connectivity, digital skills development, cybersecurity, digitisation, systems integration, innovation and broader participation in the digital economy.

The workshop placed particular emphasis on implementation, with delegates examining whether existing priorities remain relevant and sufficiently ambitious, and whether the strategy provides clear direction on responsibilities, resources, partnerships and measurable outcomes.

The success of the Digital Transformation Strategy will ultimately not be measured by the quality of the strategy document itself, but by the tangible value it creates for government and the people of KwaZulu-Natal.

Expected outcomes include better public services, stronger and more capable institutions, digitally skilled communities, improved connectivity, greater support for innovation and entrepreneurship, and expanded economic opportunities.

The Provincial Digital Transformation Strategy Workshop marked another important step towards developing a practical roadmap that translates KwaZulu-Natal’s digital ambitions into measurable programmes and results.

Through the 2025–2030 strategy, the Provincial Government aims to ensure that technology becomes an increasingly powerful enabler of inclusive development and that no community is left behind as KwaZulu-Natal advances towards a digitally smarter future.

KwaZulu-Natal, Inspiring New Hope.

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