IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The bulk of these resources will be appropriated towards realising the GPG's ICT Strategic Outcomes, in order to drive ICT transformation initiatives in the province.

To date significant milestone have been achieved towards the provision of reliable Information Communications Technology (ICT). In this regard, over 99.86% uptime availability of the GPG's Wide Area Networks (WAN) has been achieved.

This approach replaces previous plans to build ICT classrooms in every school as part of the government’s aim to make Gauteng a smart and connected province.

The Gauteng Department of Education plans to strengthen its training of schools and teachers in the province to maximise, strengthen and sustain its ICT rollout programme is public schools.

MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, delivered his budget speech yesterday in Johannesburg.

Speaking at the National Integrated ICT Policy Colloquium in Midrand on Thursday, Pule said the outcome of the ICT policy development process had to be aligned with government's top priorities of fighting crime and corruption, rural development, improving health and education, and creating sustainable jobs.

The final policy needed to also address issues such as increasing the number of female executives and attracting younger women in ICT sector, the minister added.

The aim is to formulate a white paper on an integrated national ICT policy.

"We needed to have this policy review to overhaul all the legislation in our sector so it reflects the work the government does and helps this country and industry to benefit from sustainable ICT development and services for the next 20 years," Pule said.

“Information and communication technology (ICT) is not high on the Department of Basic Education’s agenda, and it’s practised in a fragmented, uncoordinated manner.”

“It’s impossible to roll out ICT across all provinces because of varying situations and the different approaches to interpreting ICT policy.”

The Ikamva National e-Skills Institute was launched at the Durban University of Technology by Communications Minister Yunus Carrim and Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel on Friday.

It is of utmost importance to think differently to resolve this problem. One of the possible solutions is actually located in the government domain where, in cooperation with the industry, the utilization of internships can be used as a mechanism to upskill the technology-challenged society.

Depending on who you speak to, the South African ICT industry faces a critical shortfall of skills, or it doesn’t have enough jobs for all of its experienced professionals. The contradictory picture points to a mismatch between the skills on offer and those in demand in a market that is going through some wrenching changes.

The industry, like many other sectors of the South African economy, has shed jobs as a result of the global economic downturn. Integrators like Gijima, end-user organisations like Absa and telecoms operators such as Cell C have all taken a knife to their headcount in recent months.

The creation of an ICT research council in South Africa to drive integrated ICT research and development was put back on the table at the GovTech 2015 conference.

At a roundtable attended by students, academics and government ICT officers, hosted at GovTech, the Honourable Deputy Minister of Telecommunications & Postal Services, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize stated that government was interested in ensuring inclusive participation in policy formation and other issues of relevance to the sector and was considering the feasibility of creating an expert advisory group to inform the agenda on research and innovation.

Her belief was that data, research and scientific evidence were essential in policy formulation – hence the idea of a research council.

Speaking at the GovTech 2012 conference held in Durban on Wednesday, Sisulu said professionalising the public service is equipping public servants with technology to enhance the skills they need for their jobs.

The conference is held under the theme: ICT Collaboration - Across and Beyond Government. GovTech is a world-class platform for collaboration, capacity building and information sharing between government and the ICT sector.

Speaking at the SA Communications Forum (SACF) meeting Pule congratulated new CEOs Shameel Joosub of Vodacom, Alan Knott-Craig of Cell C, Puleng Sejanamane of Broadband Infraco and Lulama Mokhobo of the SABC.

“Together I am certain that we can take South Africa to the pinnacle of achievement in the ICT sector. It is vital that we position South Africa as a leading light in ICT on the continent.”

The event was one of many held around the world to expose high school girls to role models and encourage them to consider careers in ICT. More than 140 schoolgirls attended the event in Johannesburg.

Luphumzo Ntwanambi is small for his age. The 15-year-old, who is in Grade 9, sits nervously in his headmaster’s small office in Mvuso Junior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape. His clothes are neat, but show obvious signs of wear and tear: a white collar frayed around the neckline, a jersey whose warmth has been washed thin. But in this rural part of the province, few people are wealthy.

For most learners in the area, education is not a way to break the cycle of poverty. In the 2014 matric results, the Eastern Cape was the country’s worst-performing province, with fewer than two-thirds of matriculants passing. Poor marks, however, start in earlier grades. In the 2014 Annual National Assessments undertaken by the department of basic education, the average mark for mathematics among Grade 9 learners was 11.1%, for their home language (isiXhosa) it was 38%.

GovTech 2015 aims to showcase ICT innovation in government and seek to inspire further innovation, says event programme manager Pieter Coertze.

The 10th instalment of GovTech will be staged by the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) at Durban's Inkosi Luthuli International Convention Centre, from 25 to 28 October. Under the banner: ‘Partnering for Service Delivery: Connecting Communities for Development and Growth', GovTech's primary focus will be service delivery.

On Wednesday, the Worcester centre was fully equipped with a computer room containing 50 computer terminals, educational aids, internet connectivity and training facilities, Suraya Hamdulay, Vodacom’s head of corporate citizenship, said.

Dr Msiska said the private sector should raise to the challenge especially in this era where fast evolving ICT market takes centre stage.

Dr Msiska was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when he officiated at the GRZ-ZAMTEL Expo, a facility that has created a forum by bringing all government line ministries and departments together so that they could explore internet services and e-governance programmes.

The Indian Government has since pledged continued support to Zambia’s quest to ensure that ICT is made available and affordable to the general population of the country.

Communication and Transport Minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa said it was Government’s intention to ensure that the citizenry including those in rural areas were brought into the orbit of ICT as this was key to stimulating socio-economic development.

President Banda said the exchange of and access to information and knowledge through the use of ICTs has contributed to development of many countries in Africa .

He said ICTs have the potential to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich nations in the world, adding that it would be to the advantage of the African countries to embrace the ICTs in their quest to develop further.

Speaking at the launch of the Limulunga Multi-purpose Telecentre, which is located at the Lozi plateau capital of Limulunga, President Banda said ICTs played an important role in national development.

He noted that there was a positive relationship between investment in ICTs and the overall gross domestic product (GDP) growth.