September 6, 2007
By Lesego Madumo
JOBURG has opened its second information and communications technology (ICT) hub, this time at the Yeoville Recreation Centre in the northeastern suburb. The first, in Orange Farm in the south, has been up and running since 2004.
Coinciding with the launch of the ICT Hub on Wednesday, 5 September, the City gave certificates to more than 60 Yeoville residents who had completed an ICT course. The course was designed to bridge the digital divide.
Ward councillors attended the event, which was hosted by the City's department of economic development. The department is responsible for skills development at the recreation centre.
Building an ICT hub in Region F grew out of a relationship between the City and IT companies New Horizons Computer Learning Centre, CSC, Internet Solutions and Dinotshi, which made the ICT training available to unemployed Yeoville residents.
"It is the City's vision to create a sustainable ICT-enabled network of information access points across the [metro]," said Virgil James, the City's spokesperson. The primary objective was to provide a viable impetus for economic growth, job creation, and skills and enterprise development.
Congratulating Andile Mfobela on completing his course are the head of the City's economic development department, Jason Ngobeni, councillors Zama Shezi and Nomaswazi Mohala and trainer Mark Contat (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Speaking at the event, Jason Ngobeni, the executive director of the City's economic development department, said: "The aim of the project is to help previously disadvantaged communities to bridge the digital divide in order to access the benefits of the information age by providing access to ICT infrastructure, ICT skills and support in the development of SMMEs."
A recent evaluation of the Orange Farm hub had found that such a centre worked well for residents. "We have succeeded in improving the community's access to ICT connectivity based services, and participants themselves have gained IT and business skills, and their confidence levels have been boosted."
The ICT sector was one of the five sectors selected for intervention by his department, Ngobeni noted. "We recognise that [the] ICT centre can create significant contributions to both direct and indirect employment opportunities in South Africa and the rest of Africa."
Joburg had plans to erect ICT hubs around the metro to help make it and South Africa the centre of Africa's ICT sector, he explained.
Certificates were given to Yeoville residents who completed an ICT course (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Mark Contat, a business development manager at New Horizons Computer Learning Centre, said the project was aimed at addressing one of the key challenges facing the country - the "creation of skilled persons able to respond to the human resource demands of our thriving economy".
"All of you young people, the beneficiaries of this programme … I hope you will continue on your path and embrace any opportunity to further your personal skills development and, in doing so, face a more positive future."
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