ICT skills gaps, the impact of AI on ICT workforces and upskilling for the future of work are among the burning issues that will come under the spotlight at this month’s Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) Workforce Intelligence Conference in Johannesburg.
Set to take place at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on 30 October, the IITPSA’s first major ICT skills conference will release the much-anticipated findings of the 2026 IITPSA ICT Skills Survey and analyse the industry’s response to the changing ICT skills environment. For the first time, the IITPSA ICT Skills Survey assessed what impact AI was having on skills supply and demand, how employers and ICT practitioners view the technology, and whether AI is expected to erode jobs in the ICT sector.
IITPSA President Pearl Pasi says: “As AI brings unprecedented change to business and workforces, the IITPSA Workforce Intelligence Conference offers a timely opportunity for employers and ICT practitioners to assess AI’s likely impacts, how workplaces should adapt, and what new skills ICT professionals will need to succeed in future.”
The full-day conference will kick off with some surprising research findings around how South African ICT stakeholders feel about AI and how workplaces and ICT practitioners are using the technology, with Lehlohonolo Mokenela, Managing Director at Africa Analysis, offering insights into what the ICT Skills Survey findings mean for South Africa’s ICT skills pipeline.
Among the event keynotes will be an address on how Generative and Agentic AI will impact jobs of the future, by Pragashani Reddy, Chief Commercial Officer at Digital Solutions Group (DSG). This keynote will explore what new careers will emerge, which skills will become obsolete, and how organisations should prepare for these changes.
Dinielia Pillay, Offerzen Talent Partner, will offer an in-depth look at how ICT skills demand and supply have changed over the years, exploring current ICT skills shortages, emerging roles and expected demand over the next five years.
Professor Helena Barnard, Full Professor at the Gordon Business Institute, will deliver a talk on building skills for the AI-driven profession. She will elaborate on how employers and employees should build skills to stay relevant and in-demand in the AI era.
Panel discussions throughout the day will address issues such as women in the AI revolution, a shared skills agenda to prepare Southern African ICT professionals for the future of work, and what ICT professionals need to know to thrive in the AI era. A high-level Pr.CIO discussion will also outline how CIOs are preparing their organisations and workforces for the AI era.
Panel discussion highlights
Participating in the IITPSA Presidents’ Panel on Building Southern Africa’s AI-Ready ICT Workforce will be members of national ICT professional bodies from four Southern African countries: IITPSA President Pearl Pasi; Dr Clement Siyangwe, President of the ICT Association of Zambia (ICTAZ) and Head of ICT at Chalimbana University; Freddy Ndhlovu, President of the Computer Society of Zimbabwe (CSZ); Tshepho Bathai, President of Botswana Information Technology Society (BITS) and Clarence Gama, President of the ICT Association of Malawi.
The WIIT Women Leading the AI Revolution panellists will include Prof Noluntu Mpekoa, Associate Professor at the Institute for Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship (ISCC) at the University of South Africa; Denise Mukozho, Chairperson of the IITPSA Women in IT Chapter; and Thenzie Stewart, Senior Manager: Financial Systems at the CSIR.
Pr.CIO panellists will include Louise van der Bank, CIO at AfriSam and 2025 IITPSA President’s Awards Visionary CIO Award winner; Dr Sylvia Sathekge, CIO of the NHLS; Terence Govender, IITPSA Pr.CIO and Senior Director, IT GRC & Automation; Catherine Leso, CIO at the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources; and Tony van der Linden, CIO and head of research and development at BBD.
In the discussion on ‘Life after AI’, panellists will include Antony Makins, Group Chief Operations Officer at TForge and Chair of the IITPSA Special Interest Group in AI and Robotics (SIGAIR); Joseph Lumbahe, IITPSA Professional Member and Head of Microsoft AI Practice at Altron Digital Business; Doctor Mafuwafuwane, Executive Head of Cybersecurity at Nexio and Vice Chair of the IITPSA SIGCyber; and Kurai Masocha, Founder & CEO, Tech Oasis Systems and Chairperson of the IITPSA Innovation Special Interest Group.
Wrapping up with gala IITPSA President’s Awards
The conference proceedings will end with the gala IITPSA President’s Awards dinner, where South Africa’s leading ICT professionals will be recognised for their achievements. These include the IT Personality of the Year, and Visionary CIO awards – regarded as the leading industry awards for decades. This year’s President’s Awards theme is ‘Excellence in ethical digital transformation’, aligning with the IITPSA’s own motto.
Tickets for the conference include access to the black tie awards dinner, where delegates will enjoy a three-course meal and network with the leading lights in South Africa’s ICT sector.
To learn more, explore the programme and register for the conference, go to https://www.iitpsa.org.za/conference2026/