New Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Strategies that will put the North West Province on an economic and social development trajectory and ensure that citizens have access to universal access to services and information should be implemented, Premier Thandi Modise asserted on Tuesday.
“ICTs need to be fully explored and exploited for the benefit of citizens and communities as they provide an ideal catalyst to create an enabling environment for sustainable development,” Premier Modise told members of the Premier Advisory Council on Innovation and Information Communication Technology in Rustenburg.
In her address to members of the revived council, Modise said the province was ready to take the lead in the Innovation and ICT project to improve the quality of life of the people of the province in pursuit of the vision of the National Development that by 2030 all South Africans will be able to use core ICT services and enjoy access to a wide range of entertainment, information and educational services.
“The Executive Council has resolved to uplift the role of the ICT in the province to create a centre of excellence and the need to identify key projects and initiatives that the province should concentrate on to ensure that we are not left behind on the role that ICT can play for Socio-Economic Development.” she said.
The Premier said that ICT could also assist to reduce tender documentation that gets lost in municipalities. The first meeting of the Council provided a platform for council members to make inputs on major strategies to assist the province to address and solve socio-economic challenges through harnessing ICT’s.
IT Business Executive from the Auditor General Jabulile Nkosi urged Heads of Departments and Senior Managers to view IT as an enabler that can be used to solve problems beyond passwords, backup and connectivity issues.
She highlighted that defining the IT strategy for the province, capacitating the PGITO, developing transversal policies, defining roles and responsibilities and management buy-in for implementation will improve audit outcomes.
Microsoft SA’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Maureen Mphatsoe who serves as a member of the Premier Advisory Council said her organisation has identified skills development, education, SMME development and the use of ICT to fight crime as areas that her organisation could assist the province with.
Mphatsoe said Microsoft has a good relationship with industry and thus they were able to train people and place them with the relevant employers. Ntokozo Mthabela from the Department of Trade and Industry also highlighted some of the opportunities available for the province to maximise economic growth and sustainability.
Amongst these opportunities is the Talent Development Programme also referred to as Monyetla Work Readiness Programme. Mthabela said the programme was able to fund employers to train unemployed people with the condition that the company employs at least 70% at the end of the training for a minimum period of 12 months.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Spokesperson
Cell: 083 629 1987
Tel: 018 388 3705
Fax: 018 388 3157
Email: LKgwele@gmail.com
