130  No. 50741 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 31 May 2024 especially for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and startups, which have the potential to create jobs and contribute to economic growth. Digital inclusion should also focus on the indigent, the youth, women and people with disability to enable them, not only to be able to access government services, but to also have access to data and internet connectivity to enable them to innovate and develop digitally tradable goods and services necessary to ensure their economic inclusion. Ultimately, any reference to the digital economy must be supported by strong, reliable, secure and affordable connectivity to affordable digital infrastructure and devices. The private sector and other organisations have started using technologies in high numbers. This means there is increased investment in digital technologies such as data centres and cloud services. The sharing of data between the government and the private sector can have a significant impact on the improvement of services offered by both parties, thus benefitting the citizens. The absence of a regulatory environment might deter increased investment in digital technologies as investors largely seek regulatory certainty to ensure adequate protection of their investments. Connectivity and utilisation of technologies should be supported by a reliable energy supply. South Africa has over time experienced energy supply challenges which has had a negative impact on government and industrial initiatives to grow the economy and foster economic inclusion. The functionality of most of the digital infrastructure relies significantly on reliable energy supply. Data centres also rely significantly on cooling systems that require vast volumes of water. In addition to energy supply challenges, issues of sustainability are beginning to take centre stage. The implication for South Africa is that in its pursuit of reliable energy supply solutions, consideration should be given to ensuring that data centre providers ensure that they make self-provisioning for water and electricity self-provisioning while addressing carbon emission reductions to mitigate against environmental degradation. In a global and digitally connected world driven by free data inflows and outflows, there is already a realisation that some countries establishing regulatory mechanisms to protect certain types of data regarded as critical for their security and sovereignty. In addition, there is also a recognition that data-sharing across different jurisdictions can also be beneficial to country economies. Collaborative economic developmental initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area, (ACfTA), the African Single Digital market and digital identity will rely significantly on data-sharing within different jurisdictions. All these initiatives must be 8 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za