Research and consulting firm ForgeAhead has initiated a programme to help government understand and solve the challenges in using information and communications technology (ICT) to serve the public.
Pierre Venter, head of research at ForgeAhead, says the programme is being run in all nine provinces and involves research into the ICT needs of local government.
He says the project is being funded by ForgeAhead, and constitutes independent research.
"The first phase of the ICT in Local Government programme involves research into the state of ICT in local government. This is done by sending out surveys to local government officials, who fill them out and return them to us."
Venter says the aims of the survey include gaining an understanding of the current use and status of ICT in local government, obtaining an overview of the ICT infrastructure, understanding the approaches, views and strategies of local government in the use of ICT to enable service delivery, and identifying key areas of development, challenges and success, drivers and inhibitors.
"The aim is to gather information on the strategies and status of ICTs and therefore facilitate partnerships (public and private), work with local governments and inform national and provincial government on the status," he says.
The research programme began in March, with the Gauteng research finalised a week ago. The overall project is to end on 15 October.
Venter says the findings for Gauteng are to be presented at a workshop on Thursday, involving local government officials.
He says three metropoles, one district municipality and six local municipalities responded to the survey and interviews. "In general, all 284 local governments in all nine provinces are targeted. On average one gets a response of 50% on surveys and fieldwork interviews."
He adds that the information is high-level and presents an overview of ICT rather than an in-depth analysis of ICT infrastructure.
"The ICT industry does get access to this information, but only to understand the big picture view and the ICT needs of local government. Through this interaction with industry, ForgeAhead creates awareness of these needs, without allowing the private sector to sell solutions to local government that do not solve the issues that it faces."
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