Digital migration.
http://www.doc.gov.za/index.php?
I would like to problematise the issue of donations, especially electrical goods as it is the cause of the continuing piling e-waste.
The issue of e-waste will be dealt with in the context of the unfolding global process of digital migration which the changing of the broadcasting system from analogue to digital.
The point must be made that the digital migration is long overdue and have lots benefits.
The progress made globally is not consistent because the so-called developed countries are leading the pack in digital migration.
There is a possibility of the flood of TVs from so-called developed countries into developing countries in the pretext of donations. The cost of recycling the TVs is high and the dumping is strictly regulated than in so-called developed countries. The TVs will follow the same route as computers donated to schools. The schools are sitting with tons and tons of broken and absolute computers with no solution because the repair and refurbishing are unaffordable to schools.
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To Tk
ReplyDeleteMy brother, it is true. What we have to do as Citizens is allow us to learn so that we could learn to develop our own machines. By doing so, we become the ones who will dump our old machines into the countries that do not have our old versions. Countries in Asia, Japan,China, Taiwan and them asian countries have done it. India is following suite. Asians have cars, cellphones and china has evrything from clothes to ants. Why can't we do it? India is now the first stop for countries like the US in terms of IT. The developing of our own cars, cellphones, clothes and any other raw material in SA will result in SA becoming one of the super league countries. Lets start by encuraging our learners to be etntrepreneus and scietific in thinking
I absolutely concur with both you and Justimos' assertions. South Africa like many developing countries are used as e-dumping site under the pre-text of donations. The only way to eradicate the problem as envisaged and identified, like Justimos said, is for SA to be self-reliant.
ReplyDeleteAs we debate petty issues like Decriminilisation of Prostitution, Japan is busy inventing a computer that will be used beyond 2030, thus dumping the outdated models to the like of us. Even though it is no loudly articulated, our country seem to be tied down by Diplomatic ties and favours previously made for political gains. Why buy oil in US$ whilst America is not producing oil? Why export something we produce (Platinum) to later buy the processed product in US$?
By developing our own, we will make SA self-reliant and that will boost our ailing currency that looses value even when America sneazes. Shift to a more vocational type of education will help encourage entrepreneurs, thus ensuring growth in Human resource and capacity.
Let SA be among the innovators of digital gadgets...