OVERVIEW ICT Digital
OVERVIEW ICT Digital skills for rural communities. Only 13% of rural households have access to the Internet (StatsSA) and the widening digital divide is a problem the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) aims to solve with its SMART Skills Centres, one of which opened at the Letaba TVET College’s Modjadji Campus in Ga-Kgapane, Modjadjiskloof, in 2024. The CHIETA SMART Skills Centre, pictured, is intended as much more than a computer centre and will provide the surrounding communities with 20 private Internet training pods for community members to book and use to access digital courses online or apply for a job, free data and unlimited access to the Internet, three Virtual Reality training stations for digital-artisan training, a Robotics Hub and a SMART Board for the use of SMMEs and co-operatives for planning and trading. Six centres have been opened in rural South Africa since October 2022 and CHIETA plans for each province to have one by mid-2025. Ebenezer High School in Mahwelereng, Mokopane, now has its own computer laboratory, courtesy of Netcare Foundation through non-profit social enterprise One on One Community Based Programmes. Mamaolo Primary School in Chuenespoort, Polokwane, received a similar donation of second-hand computers which are helping to expose pupils to a wider range of subject choices and skills that will help them when they enter the job market. The Provincial Government of Limpopo has provided teachers with laptops and scholars with tablets at selected schools in the 1-3 quintiles. Some 35 000 tablets have been distributed to pupils in Grade 1 and Grade 6. Digital Hubs are to be created at Seshego in Polokwane and Nkowankowa in the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality of the Mopani District Municipality. The hubs will offer training, provide access to ICT facilities and enable incubation for young entrepreneurs in the ICT sector. Limpopo Connexion has been appointed as the operator of the Seshego hub and the provincial government has budgeted R23-million for the project. ONLINE RESOURCES State Information Technology Agency: www.sita.co.za Support Programme for Industrial Innovation: www.spii.co.za Technology Innovation Agency: www.tia.org.za SECTOR INSIGHT Tablets have been given to school pupils. Good progress has been made in rolling out digital infrastructure in the province, with a Data Centre, a Network Operating Control Centre and a Contact Centre complete. A total of 52 sites have been connected to the network, using both fibre and satellite technologies. Phase One of the broadband project is complete, including the development of investment models and strategies for sustainability. MTN and Huawei are working together with Minetec Smart Mining to create a 5G-enabled smart mine at Garatau in the Fetakgomo Tubase Local Municipality. Nkwe Platinum and Zijin Platinum intend the pilot project to improve monitoring and performance in all spheres. ■ LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2024/25 36 PHOTO: CHIETA
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