Datacentrix Industrial Indaba 2025
31 October 2025
News
Resilience, security and compliance now form the foundations of sustainable industrial operations. This is according to Sunil Singh, divisional managing director for Managed Services and eNetworks at Datacentrix, who advised delegates of Datacentrix’s inaugural Industrial Indaba 2025 that the convergence of IT and OT is critical for future business success.
“The industrial sector is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the urgent need to secure operations, strengthen resilience and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital economy,” said Singh. “The path forward lies in embracing digitalisation, strategically and securely.”
Ben de Klerk, regional manager, Eastern Cape and operational technology lead at Datacentrix, continued with this line of reasoning, stating that technology, people and processes form the enablers needed for digital empowerment. He explained that industrial businesses must invest in the core digital infrastructure that enables transformation, but should prioritise system, process and people integration before innovation.
“Technology alone cannot drive digitalisation,” De Klerk continued. “People remain central to success. Empowering employees with the right skills, fostering digital-first mindsets and encouraging leadership that embraces change are all critical steps. Furthermore, training staff on compliance protocols promotes a culture of accountability and awareness. Digital transformation does not necessarily mean that people will be replaced by technology. It equips them to re-develop and embrace rather than resist change.”
Despite the promise of digitalisation, the industrial sector faces persistent challenges inhibiting transformation, such as legacy, disparate infrastructure and a shortage of digital skills, which equate to unnecessary complexity for compliance requirements. All of this is further compounded by the constant need to balance operational safety, security and uptime.
For more information visit www.datacentrix.co.za
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