Teba Limited, the mining recruitment arm of the Teba Group, has streamlined its service to foreign mine workers by implementing a Web-based software solution which allows miners to retrieve their salary statements online.
The system was developed by Software Futures, an IBM Business Partner, in just three weeks using IBM's Rational Rapid Developer (RRD) and a Java-based architected rapid application development (ARAD) approach. The solution is based on IBM's Websphere and DB2 platform.
"Using the IBM software, the Software Futures development team was able to diminish the risk associated with software development by developing a well-architected solution in an extremely cost-effective and accelerated time-to-market approach," says Dr Jaco van der Merwe, head of Custom Business Solutions at Software Futures.
Anneri Pieterse, IT Manager of Teba, says the decision to go with IBM products was based on the company's long-term decision to standardise on IBM products and services as well as IBM Rational software's ability to enable quick development.
"We needed a system to track deposits and deferred pay for the mine workers, we wanted to make it available on the Internet, and we needed to do it quickly," Pieterse says. "This solution enables our 60 000 mine workers to access their salary information at a convenient location."
In line with SA's international governance agreements with foreign countries, Teba recruits mine workers from our own rural areas as well as Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland. The labourers work on SA's gold, coal and platinum mines. Teba provides the workers with contracts and acts as the link between the workers and their families.
Because the majority of the mine workers are not computer literate, the system is administered by consultants based at the mines. When a miner wishes to access his salary information, he simply provides his user ID and password to the system consultant in the office.
In addition to improving its service to the workers, Teba has been able to reduce fraud and ensure compliance with inter-government protocols as a result of implementing the solution.
"Software Futures' ARAD development team produced well-architected and model-driven custom software in J2EE in an extremely cost-effective and accelerated time-to-market approach," Pieterse says. "The team also provided classroom training as well as mentoring on the project for our technical staff, ensuring a meaningful transfer of knowledge."
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Software Futures was established in 1994 and is a 51% black-owned, broad-based empowerment company. It is a leading provider of packaged, bespoke and integrated business software solutions to medium-sized businesses, large corporations and government. In addition, it delivers software development best practices consulting and tools to IT departments and software development companies.
The company's success is built on a heritage of innovative, skilled and passionate people, and the consistent application of internationally accepted best practice. This, coupled with an innovative approach to business, has ensured that Software Futures has an enviable track record of successful projects and loyal clients.
Software Futures has consistently been at the forefront of initiatives to standardise the IT industry and enable the process of software delivery to be simpler and more predictable. The company's offerings include strategic sourcing, custom development, business and IT best practice consulting & training, ERP and CRM solutions, data quality services and product development.
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