Government's infrastructure cluster, in conjunction with Telkom, will redeploy Fifa 2010 World Cup communications equipment to connect Dinaledi schools from this month.
Transport minister Sibusiso Ndebele, as chairperson of the Infrastructure Development Cluster, addressed Parliament yesterday regarding the cluster's delivery programme.
“We seek to devise corrective measures and interventions to enable government to ensure maximum impact of infrastructure investment in economic growth.”
Ndebele said several urgent projects in the infrastructure cluster are being rolled out to place SA on a sustained growth path.
These include securing electricity supply for jobs and economic growth, securing funding for electricity and water services, and developing and maintaining communications and transport infrastructure.
As part of the communications infrastructure segment, Ndebele said Broadband Infraco continues to invest in its national backbone fibre-optic network, with R243 million spent in the 2009/10 financial year.
“Broadband Infraco's fibre-optic cable network now covers approximately 12 250km country-wide, which enables the country to extend connectivity to the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region, to countries like Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland.”
Fifa legacy
Ndebele added that the 2010 Legacy Implementation plan was developed in June 2010 and is ready for implementation during February and March. The two legacy projects include redeploying World Cup equipment to host cities Cape Town and Tshwane.
“Telkom will also redeploy some of the equipment to exchanges in rural areas and utilise some of the remaining funds to connect the remaining 125 Dinaledi schools.”
He added that the implementation of the project will roll over into April and May.
The minister also mentioned Sentech's second teleport as another legacy project. He explained that the satellite/teleport that was guaranteed by government for the World Cup is now treated as a separate project.
“We are awaiting the renewed second teleport proposal with costs and timelines. The remaining funds/savings of the 2010 Sentech project will be utilised for this purpose.”
Ndebele said implementation of this project will commence before March, but will roll over into April and May.
Digital viewing
Under the communications infrastructure banner, Ndebele also highlighted digital terrestrial television. “Cabinet recently endorsed a decision by SADC to adopt the DVB-T2 technology standard for the implementation of the digital migration process.
“Cabinet further adopted December 2013 as the switch-off date of the analogue signal to the digital signal.”
He added that this process will contribute to government's job creation programme in manufacturing, packaging, distribution, installation, maintenance and content production.
“The migration process will result in the creation of more TV channels, therefore, increasing the demand for more content. Government intends utilising the migration process as a catalyst for the resuscitation of the electronics manufacturing industry and to create more opportunities for the content production industry.”
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