Pretoria – Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, said digital skills are necessary to sustain public service delivery well into the future.
Minister Buthelezi spoke at the signing of the memorandum of agreement between Microsoft South Africa and the National School of Government (NSG) on Monday.
The agreement aims to empower 100,000 public servants in digital literacy, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity by leveraging NSG Learner Management Platforms.
The NSG currently offers over 190 courses, mostly online with some physical, empowering public servants to be responsive to citizen needs and government Priorities, through education, training, and development interventions.
“By leveraging artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, we are setting the foundation for a government that is responsive, efficient, and capable of addressing the dynamic and ever-evolving needs of our citizens,” said Minister Buthelezi.
Professor Busani Ngcaweni, NSG Principal, said that this initiative reaffirms the importance of public-private partnerships in driving digital transformation.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft provides us with the opportunity to empower our public sector employees to embrace digital transformation and drive positive change in governance and service delivery,” said Professor Ngcaweni.
“Through the AI Skilling Initiative and our partnership with the National School of Government, we are investing in the future of South Africa’s public sector. Providing government employees with advanced training in AI and cybersecurity is not only critical for safeguarding digital infrastructure but also for fostering innovation and improving service delivery,” says Lillian Barnard, President of Microsoft Africa.
The partnership between Microsoft South Africa and the NSG affirms the company’s recently announced commitment to training one million people in digital skills through the AI skilling initiative in South Africa and the government’s commitment to ensuring a capable and efficient public service able to meet the growing demands of its population.
