{
  "id": 11417577,
  "title": "39 years in tech, one hard lesson: Lungi Sangqu on why buying software won’t fix broken processes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/39-years-in-tech-one-hard-lesson-lungi-sangqu-on-why-buying-software",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-02T10:05:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCabal",
    "slug": "techcabal",
    "url": "https://techcabal.com/2026/10/02/lungi-sangqu-people-digital-transformation-success/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1987, Lungi Sangqu first discovered her love for computer science, captivated by its ability to solve problems at lightning speeds. Over the next four decades, she would become one of Africa's leading digital transformation experts, guiding institutions across the continent through the complexities of technology adoption. Sangqu's journey from a young programmer in South Africa to the founder of Africa Digital Success began in the Eastern Cape, where she attended primary and high school. She went on to study mathematics, chemistry, and computer science at university, where her passion for the field was ignited in 1987. Her early technical training prepared her for a career in software programming, but her real insights came from a deeper understanding of technology's human impact. As she moved up through various institutions, Sangqu learned that technical functionality alone does not guarantee success. Instead, the true measure of a technology's success lies in how well it aligns with human needs and organizational goals. She observed that many IT projects failed not because of technical issues but due to poor strategic decisions, inadequate human-centric design, and a lack of understanding of the problems they aimed to solve. Sangqu's experience at the University of South Africa (UNISA) served as a pivotal moment in her career. Leading initiatives to digitize student applications, registration, and grading workflows, she realized that technology was just the starting point. The real challenge was re-engineering core processes, training staff, and ensuring that digital tools served the institution's educational mission. While digital transformation streamlined operations for urban learners, it created barriers for students without reliable internet access, highlighting the importance of considering equity in digital initiatives. A key lesson from Sangqu's 39-year career is that successful digital transformation begins with understanding the problem, not the product. She emphasizes the need for organizations to align technology with their strategic goals, evaluate investments based on operational efficiency and revenue growth, and ensure that leadership teams grasp the core issues they are trying to address. This experience underscores the importance of placing people at the center of technology decisions, ensuring that digital solutions enhance rather than hinder human capabilities.",
  "summary": "Lungi Sangqu reflects on four decades of technology, digital transformation and leadership, arguing that successful innovation starts with people, not platforms.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}