The Western Cape`s IT industry has a new champion, and she`s on a mission to grow and transform the sector. WHILE THERE ARE many business incubators and industry development bodies in SA, there is no organisation that we know of, other than the Cape IT Initiative (CITI), that has taken on both roles - nd in the ICT sector to boot.

Viola Manuel is the new executive director of the eight-year-old ICT cluster development agency. She took over from Masedi Molosiwa in April this year, having joined CITI eight months ago as cluster development manager.

Manuel`s first real job was as a public relations officer with SAA. After seven years at the airline, where she ended up running its training department, she left to complete her MBA and form her own training company.

"Starting my own business had its ups and downs, often more downs than ups, but the euphoria of the ups kept me going," she says. It was this work that led her to CITI as a service provider. And, while she claims to be a techno-peasant, her passion for developing people resulted in an "immediate connection with what CITI is doing". -

"Engaging with CITI and the IT industry sparked an interest in the sector that then became a raging fire, catalysing my desire to make an impact in this space," she says.

CITI`s goal, as Manuel explains, is threefold: to grow the Western Cape`s IT hub, to promote its skills, capabilities, and innovations, and to help transform the sector.

CITI, which is represented by government, academia as well as ICT producers and users, has about 7 000 companies and individuals on its growing mailing list.

"Our target audience is defined as everyone who affects and is affected by developments in ICT," says Manuel.

She admits that, at first, it was difficult for CITI to stay within its mandate, since there was so much to do to get the sector where it needed to be. "CITI`s metamorphoses involved movement from communicating its mandate to being an ICT industry body, and, finally, CITI is moving into actively delivering on the objectives as a cluster development agency."

PRIORITY PROJECTS

CITI has its fingers in a number of project pies, but the three biggest are Women in IT, My Mentor and Think Global.

"Each of these projects addresses specific needs in the sector," says Manuel.

One pressing need is for a more representative IT sector, hence its Women in IT project.

The first phase of the project resulted in CITI meeting over 12 000 girls in 20 disadvantaged schools, with the help of the Western Cape Education Department and corporate partners. "The aim was to encourage the girls to view ICT as an exciting career opportunity, and to introduce them to outstanding role models from the IT sector." Twenty businesswomen gave of their time in this project, she notes. The next phase will promote and support women-owned IT businesses.

The My Mentor programme aims to mentor the 65 companies being incubated in the Bandwidth Barn, another of CITI`s projects, and helping them grow into a "globally competitive space".

"The Bandwidth Barn is a real success story for incubation and business support: 64% of its companies older than three-and-a-half years are still successful and represented in the industry," she notes. The Think Global project, meanwhile, encourages entrepreneurs to think beyond Johannesburg as the next export market. Companies are showcased in four main markets - Canada, Ghana, India and the UK. CITI collaborates in this venture with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Western Cape Growth Initiative. "A challenge unique to the Western Cape is dispelling the myth that Gauteng is the market Western Cape-based companies should work towards."

STAKEHOLDER BUY-IN

These and other CITI projects are bankrolled through CITI`s budget of about R3,5 million for the year. This funding is sourced from the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, the City of Cape Town and industry. "At this point, industry is the second-largest contributor to CITI funding and this reflects a healthy balance with regards to our shareholders," says Manuel.

She indicates that funding for the following year is secured by ensuring that the projects undertaken have "deliverables" that meet all of its shareholders` interests and objectives. "Once this is in place, shareholders are more willing to support the projects financially."

Because Manuel gets to engage various industry partners, she observes that it allows her to view the sector from various frames of reference - "it`s very exciting to see the world through the eyes of others".

Ask Manuel what she enjoys most about her role, and she`s quick to point out that she`s part of a very dynamic and competent team that is focused on delivery. "Working with this level of competence means that I have to be very clear in my objectives," she says. "Each one of the women in the CITI team is brilliant in her own right, but the synergy is amazing. I often say that the CITI team should come with a warning label - they are just so competent."

The biggest challenge she and her team face is confidently promoting the homegrown capabilities of CITI`s members both at home and abroad. "Once we achieve that, industry will respect IT as an enabler and IT will earn its place as an economic driver," she says.