ITC & Digital Transformation

Special Feature: The BRICS Strategic Outlook 2026 Friday, October 10, 2025 | Special Edition: The AI Frontier ________________________________________ The Silicon Savannah 2.0: South Africa’s Plan to Become a BRICS Data Hub By Sabelo Mahlathi Chief Editor, Alpha Media JOHANNESBURG – For decades, the global financial architecture has been defined by a singular, Western-centric geography. Economic power flowed through a handful of northern hubs, and the "Silicon Valley" model was the undisputed blueprint for digital progress. However, as we pass the midpoint of February 2026, a new gravity is asserting itself. The "Silicon Savannah 1.0"—characterized by the scrappy, mobile-first fintech startups of Nairobi and Cape Town—has evolved. We have entered the era of Silicon Savannah 2.0, and at its heart lies South Africa’s aggressive strategic pivot to become the definitive data and payment clearinghouse for the expanded BRICS+ bloc. The shift is not merely technological; it is deeply g