Gauteng Department of Finance media statement

Over the past three weeks, the Gauteng Department of Finance has noted media reports that created an impression that the GautengOnline Programme is in a “completely dysfunctional” state; that the project is operating at “40% capacity”; and some “schools have removed it in their timetables” due to “persistent technical glitches”.

We are concerned with these reports, because the GautengOnline Programme is one of the Provincial Government's flagship information and communications technology (ICT) projects. It exists not just to provide computer literacy, but to support the delivery of quality basic education, thereby creating a sustainable e-learning environment in public schools where learners could maximise their potential.

The roll-out of GautengOnline is progressing as planned. In line with the announcement by Premier Nomvula Mokonyane during the State of the Province Address, our focus is on building 637 computer labs. This will bring the number of labs successfully installed to 2 199, which is the complete scope of the project.

We need to emphasise the point that the GautengOnline network is connected, fully functional and delivering e-learning environment in public schools where it has been installed. Since the project was launched, in particular from 2008 onwards, GautengOnline has introduced, for the first time, thousands of learners and their educators in public schools to computer literacy, while at the same time offering them an opportunity to access and participate in cutting-edge technology of the information super highway - the Internet.

The figures at our disposal indicates that in the period to May this year, more than 708 000 learners, and a further 38 000 educators, used the GautengOnline network every day. They have GautengOnline user IDs, passwords and e-mail addresses. These figures are substantiated by significant traffic across the GautengOnline network, which demonstrates that over 40 million Internet page requests are delivered to schools over a rolling average of seven days. This demonstrates the fact that we are moving with the necessary speed to narrow the Digital Divide.

As the Gauteng Provincial Government, we fully understand and appreciate the opportunities provided to us by the Internet and the impact that this has on e-teaching, e-learning and e-education. That is why we have a particular focus on ensuring that educators in schools where the GOL system has been installed are fully capacitated, and they receive ongoing training to deliver quality e-learning lessons to our children.

In this regard, training on the use of computer laboratories has been rolled out to all schools with GautengOnline facilities. This comprised a three-hour induction on the computer equipment and general laboratory usage. ICT Integration Training, which focuses on enhancing the ability of educators to teach in laboratories, is also being delivered to schools by the Gauteng Department of Education. We implement these training initiatives on an ongoing basis because we understand that ultimately educators across the province of Gauteng are key role players in the successful implementation of GautengOnline.

As all of you are aware, the success of this project is depended on the full deployment of an appropriate and relevant technology. In this regard, the Gauteng Provincial Government and SMMT Telematics Consortium, which is known as SMMT, ensures that schools are connected via a private network with over 107 points of presence (POPs) erected that service all the schools in the province. These schools enjoy access at between 1Mbps and 40Mbps, depending on the concentration of schools on any single base station.

A total of 1 492 labs have been converted into open source. This solution has greater flexibility, reliability and stability, and does not attract licence costs. Open source software is far more robust than closed source software. Vendor lock-in is avoided. Solutions based on open source technology are more extensible. This means that it is easy to adapt the system to our specific need, in a stable framework so that upgrades and new functionality will work immediately when implemented. Furthermore, the strength of open source is in its flexibility and freedom to change. When the needs of the children and their education change, open source has greater agility and ability to meet those needs

We have also deployed a total of nine mobile labs with satellite dish mounted on the roof and capable of providing Internet access, 19 computer workstations, with an on-board generator and air conditioner. They are mainly used to support the schools that do not yet have a laboratory. Our buses visit 461 schools per annum on average, with 90 users per bus per day. This translates into 41 490 users per annum on average, an indication that we are reaching out to ensure that learners are computer literate and are able to browse the Internet by the time they leave school.

We have seen a lot of interest from the media with regards to expenditure related to the replacement of stolen items in computer labs in schools. We need to point out that the Gauteng Provincial Government does not incur any additional costs associated with theft, since the nature of the contract is that of a Master Operating Lease (MOL). In situations where computer equipment is stolen in the GautengOnline labs, SMMT has 30 days within which to replace those items as per the service level agreement (SLA).

That does not mean that the Gauteng Provincial Government is not doing anything to improve security in schools. In fact we have seen a dramatic decline in the numbers of successful robberies at GautengOnline laboratories, including other schools since the introduction of the Patrollers Programme last year.

It is a globally acceptable management practice that every company must have an independent internal auditing capacity. This function assist the organisation to achieve its objectives by continuously evaluating and assessing processes and systems with the aim of improving the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance structures.

As the Gauteng Provincial Government, our internal auditing function is called Gauteng Audit Services. In line with its mandate, GAS conducts various audits on our programmes and projects, identifying risks in systems and processes, and makes recommendations on internal controls that must be put in place to mitigate weaknesses.

One of the reports issued by GAS formed the basis of the article which was published by The Star last week under the headline: “Gauteng Online project at schools falls short - audit”. We would like to point out that the audit on GautengOnline was conducted as part of GAS's mandate. Most importantly, internal control measures were put in place on the GautengOnline project following the audit in line with the recommendations made in the report.

We have received various questions from the media in relation to our relationship with SMMT, in particular with regards to what will happen when the contract ends. Appropriate processes will be followed in as a far as GautengOnline contract is concerned. Once these have been completed, we will make a formal announcement. Our approach to such matters is that whatever we do must be informed by relevant provisions of the Public Finance Management Act.

Measuring the return on investment and future of GOL

The total budget for this project over a five-year period is R2 billion and thus far approximately R1.3 billion has been spent. This translates to approximately 65% that was spent on the project, while 71% of the project deliverables have been achieved to date.

This shows that we have made significant progress on implementing this project. Since 2009, in particular, we have tightened our monitoring mechanisms on this project and have been insisting on performance from SMMT and accountability in line with the service level agreement.

We are also assessing return on investment on GautengOnline Programme to realise project value. This is an important exercise for us to determine value for money from this project.

This is an opportune moment for us to do this as the Gauteng Provincial Government has embarked on the convergence of its ICT infrastructure throughout the Gauteng Province, in an effort to improve service delivery, create jobs and realise cost savings.

The Broadband Programme or G-Link is the key project that will contribute to the realisation of these objectives. The project entails the establishment of a single technology platform for the provision of broadband networking in Gauteng for enhancing the provincial economy, provision of government services and for improving network access and connectivity throughout the province.

As you are aware the Premier made announcements on the G-Link in February's State of the Province Address, and we allocated funds towards the project when we presented the 2012 Provincial Budget in March. Work is progressing as planned with regards to this project.

Once the G-Link is fully functional, GautengOnline will become one of the Provincial Government's e-services that will be offered through the broadband technology platform. This is part of the GPG ICT Strategy that outlines our vision of using ICTs to achieve the following:

Digital inclusion: easily accessible broadband services for all citizens and businesses;
Social inclusion: universal broadband access will enable new responses to socio-economic challenges;
Service delivery: provide more efficient and effective government and business services; and
Economic growth: stimulate growth through job creation and participation of SMEs.

The private sector will be a key stakeholder that we will work with to achieve these objectives. That is why we are hosting the inaugural GPG ICT Summit, on 13 and 14 June, at the Gallagher Convention Centre.

The event is a key platform for the public and private sectors and non-governmental organisations to exchange ideas about the critical role of ICTs in government.

More than 500 stakeholders will attend the event to explore the roadmap for the development, implementation and maintenance of baseline ICT infrastructure and e-government services in Gauteng in line with Vision 2055.

Members of the media are invited to attend this event which will see us outlining our vision of using ICTs to improve the way government deliver services to the people.

As the Gauteng Provincial Government, we never said that implementing a project of this magnitude will be easy. As such there are many operational challenges that we work to mitigate every day. We are implementing what has never been done anywhere in South Africa. This is the largest cloud computing initiative in the Africa and certainly one of the largest such projects in the world. We need to be proud of that.

That is why our considered belief is that in order to successfully complete a complex and ambitious project such as GautengOnline, co-operation between all stakeholders, from government, educators to learners and communities living around the schools and the even the media is required.

For media releases, speeches and news, visit the Gauteng Provincial Government's portal at www.gautengonline.gov.za.