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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)