Introducing: #rpAccra Speaker Tefo Mohapi
iAfrikan.com is the digital publication on how science, technology and innovation impact life across Afrika and we are proud to announce the founder and CEO Tefo Mohapi as one of our keynote speakers at re:publica Accra!
Over the past years, Tefo has been covering all important issue connected to digital rights, Internet freedom but also the booming digital ecosystems across the continent. If one person has oversight of the most pressing issues regarding digitization in Africa, it’s Tefo. As a developer of digital media platforms, iAfrikan is not Tefo’s only project, he has also launched platforms such as Xenowatch, developed aimed at tracking all forms of xenophobic threats and attacks on people and property as well government responses to xenophobic incidents in South Africa. We are very much looking forward to his keynote at re:publica with the title “Freedom of Speech - Terms and Conditions Apply”.
Why did you start publishing iAfrikan?
It was out of a frustration of the type of tech and digital reporting I was coming across at the time (circa 2012). The reporting on tech/digital matters concerning Afrika were more NGO and enterprise focused and not much was being reported on how all this tech affects people. I started blogging ny personal blog with a personal weekly newsletter and it grew from there into something I do full time.
What have been the biggest challenges over the years?
Finding a business model that works and is sustainable is one of the biggest challenges but with experimenting and trying different things we seem to be finding one that works.
What are the current most pressing digital rights issues in Africa?
The most pressing one is data privacy. Most of African countries don't have enough data
on citizens and with introduction of Big Tech in different forms, it puts Big Tech companies in a superior position (vs governments) when it comes to data collection. The other one is freedom of speech where governments, with cooperation of telcos, can decide when people can have access to digital platforms to voice their grievances.