The Gauteng Department of e-Government’s failure to reach targets in the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year has resulted in Gauteng residents being denied access to key Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) services.
According to the first quarterly report, the department underperformed in rolling out crucial ICT infrastructure. It only achieved 58% of its performance indicators, missing key targets in expanding the Gauteng Broadband Network (GBN), as well as in deploying Wide Area Networks (WAN), Local Area Networks (LAN), and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) systems. Specifically, only 12 out of 80 targeted sites were connected via WAN, 13 out of 60 targeted sites received LAN infrastructure, and 14 out of 50 targeted sites were provided with VOIP services.
These figures are concerning as they represent significant delays in the department’s mandate to modernise government operations and enhance public access to digital services. To expedite these rollouts, the department has expressed its intention to remap its processes. However, questions remain about the cost implications of this remapping, the new timelines, and the tangible benefits realised since the Gauteng Broadband Network (GBN) project began in 2014.
The department did not meet its target of deploying e-panic buttons, with only 2,000 out of a targeted 40,000 deployed. This is a serious shortfall that affects public safety, especially in a province where gender-based violence (GBV) and other serious crimes are rampant. We must understand where these buttons have been deployed, their usage, and whether they have been effective in improving police response times.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will submit questions to the MEC for E-Government, Bonginkosi Dlamini, in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine the details of the remapping process and its costs. We will further seek an update on the utilisation of e-panic buttons, including specifics on their deployment and their efficacy in prompting swift responses from medical emergency services and law enforcement.
The DA remains committed to holding the Gauteng government accountable and ensuring that the people of Gauteng receive the efficient and modern services they deserve.