Gauteng Govt reshuffle sees focus on ICT investments

 ·29 Feb 2012
Gauteng MEC

Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane on Wednesday (February 29, 2012) announced a shift in the functions for various departments with the Department of Economic Development (DED) set to focus on attracting ICT investments.

“The DED will now play a more robust role in attracting ICT investments into the province and facilitation of norms and standards, including the setting up of the Smart City.

“In our quest to reposition the Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC), the Treasury will be a stand-alone department while GSSC will be more active in the roll-out of ICT infrastructure, focusing on projects such as the G-Link and e-government. Furthermore, we will appoint the GPG Chief Information Officer to oversee ICT work at the provincial level, including linkages with the private sector,” Mokonyane said.

In her State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered on February 20, the premier pointed to an ambitious target of achieving 95% broadband coverage in the province in an effort to narrow the digital divide and grow the economy.

“The MEC for Finance will ensure that the necessary funds are allocated to all the functions transferred from one department to another issued by the Gauteng Provincial Government,” Mokonyane said.

“Still in pursuit of finding more synergies in the way government works; we are today announcing that the Creative Industries and the Gauteng Film Commission will shift from the Department of Economic Development (DED) to its more suited position within the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation under MEC Lebogang Maile,” the premier said.

Earlier this week, the provincial government said that an information and communication technology hub is to be developed at Nasrec in Gauteng.

Several major international and local investors had committed themselves to the development, which would become an ICT manufacturing centre for the country, said economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu.

Some of the biggest investors were from China.

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