he he he….

I was however coincidentally discussing growth opportunities for South Africa with property developers last evening and we threw this concept around for some time. Out of interest I found this debate today while checking to see where SA`s current “Silicone Environment” is most prevalent.

In short we think that the IDEA (Craig note idea!) of a geographical IT incubator and facilitation campus is something for our country to strive for! Guys hats off for putting it out there! From my built environment background I offer the following suggestions for debate:
1. Create a new physical IT campus (much like IDZ`s) as the IT hub for Africa.
2. Government heavily subsidizes rental space or free/cheap serviced land to be made available for those companies who want to develop and own their own building.
3. These provisions must be made available to start ups and Established IT Giants (Microsoft, Intel, HP etc. you guys know them all much better than me) to position themselves within the IT Campus.
4. Open up the campus to call centre’s and IT manufacturing etc for job creation.
5. Tax incentives for those located within the IT Campus.
6. Extra steps to be taken in the establishment of the campus to ensure that the Campus is as secure and safe as possible.
7. Government or public/private partnership World Class IT Education and Training Centre to be located within the Campus.
8. Telkom to prioritize the campus in terms of its IT infrastructure (possibly subsidized Internet for those within the campus).
9. A geographical campus should create a competitive yet stimulating culture.
10. The campus needs to be positioned within an interesting fresh context yet in close proximity to good schools, hospitals, shopping and entertainment centre’s and I suggest great beaches and an outdoor lifestyle for those with families.
11. For it to be sustainable you need to provide a suitable environment for those established professionals with families and those young start up geniuses to be equally provided for.
12. Skills development is a priority for our country and such a campus would provide inspiration and stimulation for our IT sector to mushroom.
13. For those with your heads in the clouds note that the build environment is real (not silicone) and it takes years to plan, establish and deliver. There is no quick fix if this is to be the solution and it will need buy in and support from all sectors, Government and Craig included.

I look forward to your comments and abuse.

To gav and the other pessimists who follow that cynical & vitriolic line, we’ll do it without you, don’t worry. I just wish you would leave the country and find a better life for yourself elsewhere, and then stay off our radar. You and all the nay-sayers prophet-of-dooms that have been predicting disaster since 1990.

This is the reason I choose to write about the initiative – for the betterment and upliftment of South Africa. It would be great to see the naysayers – @colinalston @gav and @craig – apply your minds to how we can achieve this goal for South Africa. What models do you purport? I havent heard any other…

Disclosure: I am an Australian and have lived in 3 countries for long periods. I am telling you this country has “the minerals” to make a Silicon Cape initiative work. It is about the soft stuff like raw talent, not red herrings like internet connectivity and South Africa – you have it. Be certain of that.

Lets pick on Yola for a second. Lots of tallented people programming for them, they’re making lots of money etc. Their head office is in NOT in South Africa.

So this is what people do, the instant they have enough working capital they start to relocate out of SA.

Inversely, you get places like Amazon and Google setting up offices in Capetown and attracting all the tallent there due to such hype. Which economy are they really supporting? Are they paying SA taxes on their net income?