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eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001

South Africa: Shortage of IT skills ‘hampers councils’

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Published: 21 June 2006
The lack of information and communication technology (ICT) skills at municipal level is reaching crisis proportions, says Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition chairman Gwede Mantashe.

“Municipalities must systematically build management competencies if they are to deliver quality service,” Mantashe told a two-day conference on municipal technology in Johannesburg yesterday.

The conference heard that although government was spending R10bn a year on ICT, insufficient skills in the sector were likely to hinder the central role the technology could play in improving service delivery, particularly at local government levels. To a lesser extent, the challenge was also affecting interaction between Parliament and citizens.

National Council of Provinces chairman Mninwa Mahlangu said it supported initiatives towards an e-government system — a policy ensuring that government services were rendered faster, smarter, cheaper and in a sustainable way through ICT.

Siyabonga Kholi, of the Association for Municipal Development, said that after establishing sector education and training authorities, it was unfortunate that SA was still talking of skills shortages. Municipalities needed to retain graduates, who seemed to leave after two years.

Autor(en)/Author(s): Semeyi Zake

Quelle/Source: Business Day, 21.06.2006

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