L Brown opens e-Googlethu Cape Access Centre

29 March 2009

The Western Cape Government and Microsoft this weekend launched the
“e-Googlethu” Cape Access Centre, empowering the community of Gugulethu with
direct and free access to 30 state of the art computers and the internet. The
project, which was launched at the I D Mkhize High School in Gugulethu on
Saturday, is a joint venture between the provincial government and
Microsoft.

Western Cape Premier Lynne Brown, who officially opened the e-Googlethu Cape
Access Centre, said the launch was further proof that government’s “people
first” strategy (Batho Pele) was delivering more efficient ways of providing
services to communities.

“The Western Cape government, in partnership with Microsoft, has now set up
14 e-Community Forums and 19 e-Centres in under-served communities of the
Western Cape through the Cape Access Project,” said Premier Brown. “This
project is a model for public private partnerships which benefit
underprivileged communities and it is also a prime example of how our
government is delivering on its promise of a better life for all.”

The Premier was accompanied by the Director-General of the province, Ms
Virginia Petersen, as well as Mr Hilton Arendse of the province’s centre for
e-Innovation and Mr Themba Mdlalose, Microsoft’s Community Affairs Manager.

“This is not just simply a launch of a computer centre, this is a
revolution” said Cape Access Programme Manager Refilwe Tshabalala.

“It is a revolution because it has the potential to and will change people’s
lives all the community needs to do is to use the facilities which have been
provided to them,” said Tshabalala, adding that the power of the internet
should not be underestimated.

Cape Access is an award winning project of the Western Cape government which
has helped to mobilise and empower poorer communities by providing free access
to e-mail and the internet. These communities now have access to government and
other websites which, especially in the current economic climate, will help
people in poor communities to access crucial online services such as job
portals. Also, people who use the centre will able to communicate directly with
government and have access to important information about new business
opportunities and a host of other services.

Saturday’s launch coincided with the visit to South Africa twelve years ago
of Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who pledged to establish technology access
centres to provide appropriate information technology within the disadvantaged
communities of South Africa.

Microsoft provides free software in local languages, where available to the
access centres for three years, and makes available its Information Technology
(IT) Academy programme, which offers internationally accredited qualifications
to give graduates of the programme access to workplace experience through its
Student2Business (S2B) programme.

Contacts:
Ms An Wentzel
Premier’s spokesperson
E-mail: anwentzel@pgwc.gov.za
Tel: 021 483 2536
Cell: 083 6422 519

Mr Refilwe Tshabalala
Cape Access Programme Manager
E-mail: rtshabal@pgwc.gov.za
Tel: 021 483 4384
Cell: 079 776 6040

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government
29 March 2009
Source: Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)