With foreign and local investors realising the growth and investment potential of South Africa, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) has presented itself as a leader and role model to other municipalities.
EMM's information and communications technology infrastructure is prepared to meet the needs the countries rapid development brings along with it.
As new markets emerge, Ekurhuleni has recognised the potential the industrial hub serves and has strategically positioned its information and communications investments to complement its industrial activity, which forms a firm foundation for the welfare of its population.
EMM implemented a next-generation network (NGN) via Cisco's latest technological offerings to meet high demand. The NGN links small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) from the region to the rest of the world's business community. EMM aims to become the citizens' service provider of choice.
TCM, a BBBEE company, was allocated turnkey service provider status. TCM is a leading infrastructure and service provider delivering consolidated IT solutions for e-business in the integrated servers and storage arena.
TCM's involvement in the transformation project will enable citizens to have easy access to various e-services including:
* Remote clinics which are connected improving healthcare.
* The access to digital villages allowing citizens to have unrestricted access to internet which can be used for training, information access for students, job application or can be used as a business linking service.
* Payment of bills and general online administrative tools.
Students and all other citizens will be able to use the Internet and all the tools accompanying it at various digital villages and libraries across the city. E-mail and VOIP will be the more familiar and cost-effective communication mediums.
TCM is fully committed to the transformation of the city of Ekurhuleni; this is evident as the company sees its corporate social responsibility initiatives within the region as investments. TCM Academy was launched in November 2007. The academy, which is based in Ekurhuleni, offers ICT skills to previously disadvantaged individuals. The TCM Academy is now an accredited Pearson VUE testing centre, ensuring the learning facility is a sustainable division of TCM. This transfer of skills means that the infrastructure this metropolitan is building is maintainable long after the implementation phase of the project.
TCM worked with SMMEs based within the city resulting in equitable distribution of resources.
The strategic integration of TCM's corporate social responsibility and enterprise development portfolios into the project creates skills regeneration and retention. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality CIO Nilesh Singh believes that access to information and connectivity is a basic human right. TCM, a service and customer-centric organisation, is translating this idea into an accessible, working network.
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