Johannesburg is being transformed into a “digital city”, resulting in reduction in the cost of telecommunications, improved service delivery and increased access to information technology.
This is part of a decision by the city to use the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament to create facilities, improve infrastructure and mobilise resources that would leave a lasting legacy for the people of Johannesburg. This will also benefit surrounding cities like Ekurhuleni, Mogale City and Tshwane.
According to executive mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, when the city began its preparations, it made a commitment to the people of Johannesburg that the money spent on the 2010 Fifa World Cup would not fund a once-off event. “Our objective has been to leave an ever-lasting legacy to the city that will be enjoyed by the residents long after the World Cup,” he says.
Driving economic growth
The first phase of the Johannesburg Broadband Network Project (JBNP) was rolled out in April 2009. This marked Johannesburg's commitment to the development of a city-wide broadband network, in line with international trends in municipal broadband deployment.
The broadband network would take the city well beyond its historical core business of service delivery, he points out.
The 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) says the growth of Johannesburg broadband infrastructure is as important as the provision of water and electricity during the event. “It will also help improve response times to crime and emergencies, because it will be linked to the city's closed circuit television network.”
The JBNP is a self-funding model with tender value of R1 billion, so this comes at no addition cost to ratepayers, says the LOC. “This project aims to build a strong ICT infrastructure for the city and bring ICT closer to its citizens at a cost-effective price by selling off spare capacity to operators.”
Aiming for green
Johannesburg has also set itself the target of scoring some “green goals” during the 2010 Fifa Wold Cup and beyond, with technologies which consume less energy and are environment-friendly around the city. An example is the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system, which is the city's biggest green legacy, according to the LOC.
According to Masondo, It is estimated that, if 15% of existing car users who live within 500m of the Rea Vaya corridors switch to the new system, there will be savings of 382 940 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 2013.
The city aims to make the World Cup one of the greenest global events ever, and wants to leave behind a green legacy that benefits the people of Johannesburg, the mayor says.
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