GPG fails to meet GBN connectivity targets

31 May 2018

To date, only 1181 out of 3000 Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) sites have been connected to the Gauteng Broadband Network (GBN).

This was confirmed to me by Gauteng MEC for Finance, Barbara Creecy, in response to written questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

According to the MEC, the department has a shortfall of 489 sites that were to be connected in the 2017/2018 financial year. For the 2018/2019 financial year, the department plans to connect 850 additional sites.

Ensuring that government sites in Gauteng are connected to the GBN is important as many of our people cannot afford internet access at home.

Job seekers, especially the youth rely on this important service, so that they are able to find employment opportunities. Learners and students require internet access for projects and assignments.

In order to mitigate the risk of not meeting its targets, the department has requested the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to commit to a rapid deployment strategy to be implemented so that the GBN Phase 2 service providers can be appointed.

We will closely monitor the rollout of this project to ensure that the GPG meets its targets of connecting multiple sites to the network. Come 2019, the DA will ensure that the people of Gauteng are disadvantaged due to the poor implementation and mismanagement of key service delivery projects.

Issued by Mike Moriarty, DA Gauteng Provincial Legislature Chief Whip, 31 May 2018