IN his 2020 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said competition authorities were working towards a resolution with large mobile operators to secure cuts to data prices across pre-paid monthly bundles. This is to bolster the digital economy and stimulate online businesses.
Jolawn Victor, Head of Emerging Markets at Intuit QuickBooks, said this was great news for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small to medium accounting firms.
“In order for these businesses to remain competitive they need to have affordable access to the tools of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) so that they can run their business anytime and from anywhere.
“For this reason, we also welcome the licensing of high demand spectrum for industry via auction before the end of 2020 and agree that the availability of high demand spectrum to expand broadband access and reliability is vital for business growth.”
Not only would businesses who utilise 4IR tools such as cloud accounting software remain competitive, she said, but this would provide them with the opportunity to further job creation by upskilling their employees and establishing new roles as their businesses grow both in size and technological advancement.
“By providing affordable access to the internet and in turn technology, it will assist local small businesses to minimise some of the many challenges they are faced with such as managing cash flow, streamlining processes and boosting productivity.
“President Ramaphosa said that this year’s SONA was about inclusive growth, and we believe that providing affordable access to the internet will assist in leveling the playing field for small business in South Africa and in turn bolster job creation,” Victor said.
