- The Gauteng department that oversees the province’s technology has received a budget of R1.5 billion.
- This budget will take the department into 2026 and be used for its plans to establish a “Smart City region.”
- MEC for the Department, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, says that the budget may not be enough to address all challenges faced.
The Gauteng Department of eGovernment, the department that oversees all the province’s digital infrastructure, including online services and CCTV network, has revealed that it has been allocated a budget of R1.5 billion until 2026.
It represents a renewed investment in the province’s digital infrastructure, as indicated by Premier Panyaza Lesufi in his state of the province address this year and the province’s plans to establish a “smart Gauteng City region.”
It is however less than the R1.7 billion it received in the 2023/2024 financial years which will put a damper on any loftier aspirations.
According to eGovernment MEC Bonginkosi Dhlamini (pictured), the budget will allow further expansion of Gauteng’s network, with wider access to public internet, among a number of other extensions of existing infrastructure.
This includes enhancements to Gauteng’s network of CCTV cameras, already numbering in the thousands, and their further rollout in low incomes areas and so-called TISH regions “townships, informal settlements and hostels.”
“These efforts are part of a broader strategy to use technology to combat crime and improve safety across the province,” the department said in an announcement, adding that the province’s ePanic Button will also receive a wider rollout in the next year.
The final pillar for the budget and for the Smart City goals is skills development. “ICT skills development programs will be rolled out in all five corridors of the province to equip young people with the necessary skills to succeed in a technology-driven job market,” it explained.
Despite the budget, Dhlamini says that it may not be enough to full deliver on all the goals the department has set out nor the challenges it faces.
“While we recognize the challenges posed by our current economic conditions, this budget is a positive step in the right direction. It will help us strengthen the Gauteng Provincial Network (GPN) and enhance our province’s technological infrastructure,” he said in an announcement.
“This investment in ICT skills development is essential for ensuring that we don’t leave anyone behind as we move forward.”
The Gauteng smart city region
More than a location within the province, the “smart city region” is a plan for province-wide dispersal of ICT infrastructure and digital services to as many residents as possible.
According to the plan, it starts with upgrading digital platforms, expanding eservices, improving user experiences for these services, and rolling out more public WiFi hotspots in townships and underserved areas.
“We are entering a critical implementation phase that will define the digital landscape of Gauteng for years to come,” says Koena Mwale, department director for Monitoring and Evaluation.
“This is not just about digitising processes but using technology to improve lives, especially in previously disadvantaged communities.”
Despite the investment into the province’s digital infrastructure, outside of the digital world Gauteng’s services and infrastructure continue to steadily disintegrate, with residents facing water outages due to ailing infrastructure, daily power cuts through load reduction, ruined roads and road infrastructure all the while the cost of living continues to climb in what is supposed to be the country’s wealthiest province.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Luis Monzon
Quelle/Source: Hypertext, 05.06.2025
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