This month saw the annual IITPSA President’s Awards ceremony – our first in-person awards since 2019.

Aptly themed Brilliance in IT to mark the IITPSA’s sapphire anniversary, the breakfast was staged at The Venue in Green Park, Sandton, with views across the city and the presence of a host of distinguished guests. Among them was our friend, Joyce Benza, President of the Computer Society of Zimbabwe, who also recently hosted IITPSA past president Moira de Roche, and me, at the Computer Society of Zimbabwe’s annual Summit.

The award nominees, finalists and eventual winners are all shining examples of Brilliance in IT, which was all the more remarkable because the 2021 awards were delayed to early this year, meaning the 2022 nominations were submitted only months after last year’s awards.

We see this as a sign that the South African IT sector is growing, and is populated by increasing numbers of outstanding professionals. We also noted that this year, for the first time, we saw a 50-50 split between men and women among the finalists. We believe this could be a sign that gender gaps in the sector are finally closing.

This year, we also launched our newest award category, the Dynamism in ICT youth award, and received numerous nominations for exceptional and driven young candidates. Please see the article below for details of the winners.

It was an upbeat and encouraging note on which to end the year. As we, and our members, start wrapping up 2022, we wish you a safe, happy and restful holiday season.