The National Government Research Report, identifying various key trends in South Africa's ICT development, was released on Tuesday at a media briefing in Johannesburg by ForgeAhead, a leading ICT Research and Consulting House.
Read more: South Africa: ICTs Key to Service Delivery, Economic Growth
Providing the national backbone transmission services to support this NGN will be South Africa’s second national telecommunications operator, Neotel.
Read more: South Africa: Next-generation network plan expected to boost government ICT services
Addressing the National Assembly during her department's budget vote Thursday, the minister said government also aimed to ensure continued access to emergency services during the period of disconnection.
This, she said, was part of government's universal service agenda.
Read more: South Africa: Govt to Reduce Communication Service Costs
According to the Department of Home Affairs, the minister's intervention is geared to allow her to hear farm-workers' first-hand experiences on challenges they face in accessing Home Affairs services.
Read more: South Africa: Home Affairs Minister Takes Services to Farm Workers
"This project will give us the capacity to provide services in support of our E-government strategy," she said.