The Comparex Africa and Sonke Technologies partnership yields strong results at OR Tambo District Municipality. "Our existing relationship with Comparex is strong on a number of levels," says Justice Lungisile Zotwa, CEO, Sonke Technologies.
Introduction
August 2002 was an important date in the relationship between Comparex Africa and the BEE-owned IT solution provider, Sonke Technologies, when the companies signed a deal that would see the eventual roll-out of a network and financial services solution to the OR Tambo District Municipality including a number of satellite municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province.
Scheduled to go live in May 2003, the R2.5 million deal necessitated the formation of a consortium to tender on the project. Once the go-ahead was given, Sonke Technologies worked closely with Comparex Africa to implement a financial services system, network installation and skills transfer to ensure the successful completion of the project.
An IT partner of choice
Sonke Technologies` vision to become a leading and dynamic information technology provider, which affirms its African identity and commitment to efficiency; effectiveness and sound moral values is one that dovetails nicely with Comparex Africa^1s own commitments and goals to position itself as Africa`s IT solutions provider of choice.
Sonke Technologies core competencies have evolved from computer repairs; upgrades; software support; cabling; network administration to include end-to-end Internet services; CBT, consulting services and advanced business solutions all of which have been built on the strong existing relationship the company has with Comparex Africa.
Delivering the result
As of January 2003, Sonke Technologies, together with Comparex Africa support staff, have been hard at work installing a solution comprising a WAN cabling infrastructure, network administration, Microsoft Windows 2000 desktop and server hardware and software supply, support and hardware maintenance and installation.
"Cost is always a key issue when addressing IT infrastructure installations," says Zotwa.
"The OR Tambo Municipality already had an existing server infrastructure and we were looking for a solution that would leverage this to its fullest capacity," says Zotwa.
In light of this consideration a study was initiated by Sonke in May 2002 that would determine the load placed on the municipality`s Sun and Compaq servers.
"We realised that the three servers had the capacity to take on a far greater workload than had been placed on it to date. In addition, we were asked to install and implement a financial services solution for the municipality. Comparex Africa`s strengths in terms of project planning, and empowerment and skills transfer were areas we believed would ensure the success of the implementation and a decision was taken to grow our existing relationship with Comparex Africa."
Comparex Africa`s man on the ground in the Eastern Cape Province, Deon Craytor, takes up the story.
According to Craytor, Comparex Africa`s years of experience in implementing a myriad of financial services solutions put the IT solutions provider in a unique position to contribute know-how in this key business area. "This was not the kind of solution any service provider could simply window dress," Craytor says.
Comparex Africa then moved to provide a support solution for the Eastern Cape-based municipality. Following this, the consortium was asked the feasibility of linking up the surrounding municipalities, via a WAN, to the same financial services solution. Where possible the existing hardware and network infrastructure would provide the basis of the solution.
"We proposed an ASP model that we believed would provide the best solution to meet these criteria and at the same time make it affordable," he says.
Comparex Africa`s skills and experience have also seen its involvement in the municipality`s mail server installation as well as providing the necessary support and staff training to provide a complete, sustainable, IT solution.
"At the end of the day it simply made good business sense to have on-site engineers who are capable of working on areas such as router maintenance rather than looking at a costly outsourcing option," says Zotwa. "And of course it is in line with our own skills transfer and empowerment goals."
Comparex Africa assisted Sonke Technologies` engineers in the initial network roll-out and plays an ongoing support role.
Xheadv = The dramatic result
Sonke`s Zotwa says the implementation at the municipality has yielded significant benefits for the end-user.
"Expenses were kept low. If this project was implemented on a case-by-case basis at each and every municipality it would have cost the government millions more," he says. The decision taken to use the existing WAN and LAN infrastructures and only upgrade where required, has led to savings in areas other than the physical installation.
"All municipality staff are now able to train at a single site," he says, eliminating duplication, providing enhanced support and ultimately ensuring an efficient operations solution at all levels.
Another benefit is that all the municipalities will be able to take advantage of a single reporting solution to provide feedback to the necessary governmental departments they work with on a daily basis to provide Eastern Cape residents with world-class municipal services.
"The municipalities will be able to provide the Treasury Department, for example, with financial statements generated by a single system to enable a complete picture of the financial state of the region," he explains.
Uniformity of skills can also assist any and all of the municipalities in the day-to-day operations of their IT services as well as ensuring savings as staff will be sufficiently skilled, which will reduce their reliance on the support desk and increase productivity. According to Craytor, this is another example of a cost-efficient sustainable IT solution.
Once the other municipalities are brought on line with the new ICT infrastructure, the municipality will be able to pursue other strategic goals that will boost its own service level offerings.
Zotwa says these may include the upgrading of the WAN to enable VOIP services leading to additional savings in terms of lower telephony bills, and the rolling out of bar-code systems. "The existing basic infrastructure will ensure a smooth roll-out of any new solution," he says.
Conclusion
Zotwa says the success of the municipal solution will enable the consortium to propose this model as a complete financial services solution based on a strong infrastructure and skills transfer base for any number of future projects and roll- outs.
In addition, it also stands out as a strong example of the benefits to be gained from the implementation of a sustainable ICT infrastructure, one that may pave the way for similar developments around the country and perhaps, elsewhere on the continent.
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