IT spend set to increase in SA, but currency risk must be embedded in contracts
IT spending in SA is forecast to total R266bn in 2017, a 2.4% increase from 2016, according to global research firm Gartner. Software is predicted to be the best-performing segment, with a 13.2% increase year on year. Spending on devices, such as PCs, tablets and smartphones, in SA is forecast to decline by 4.6% in 2017. Purchases of devices by businesses and consumers are slowing in the face of rising prices and in the expectation of new products, Gartner says. But this is set to rebound in 2018. "SA has traditionally under-invested in IT," said John-David Lovelock, vice-president and analyst at Gartner. South African organisations continue to prioritise investments in software, as software spending is the means by which they will catch up with the rest of the world, he said. With regards to spending on devices, Lovelock expects the introduction of premium smartphones to increase device spending by 3.8% in 2018. Spending on communications services, the largest segment in SA, reache...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.