Changing lives at the WCG eCentre in Klapmuts

Klapmuts is a small town 50 km from Cape Town, off the R45 road between Kraaifontein and Paarl. Founded in 1683 by the Dutch East India Company as a cattle stock farm, the town got its name from Klapmuts Hill.

The town is situated in Cape Winelands region and is surrounded by world-renowned vineyards and spectacular scenery of beautiful mountains and valleys, attracting many local and foreign tourists.

During the last decade, the Cape Winelands region has also become a thriving technology and innovation hub where young technology entrepreneurs come to set up startup businesses.

For Klapmuts’ 22 000 residents, the Western Cape Government (WCG) eCentre serves as a vital starting point for them to prepare for a more technologically advanced future by making use of the free ICT training programmes offered at the eCentre, as well as setting up email addresses and accessing online services that’ll improve their lives.

The WCG eCentre programme, previously known as the Cape Access programme, is a programme that makes information and communication technology available and accessible to rural and underprivileged communities in the Western Cape.

The WCG eCentre programme has established 74 eCentres in rural communities throughout the province over the last 14 years. The people living in these communities now have access to computers and free internet.

The eCentre was established within the Klapmuts Multi-Purpose Centre in April 2019 and has approximately 5 000 individual members. Members can receive a comprehensive array of services, which include:

• Free internet access
• Email access and assistance to create emails.
• Free printing of a maximum of10 pages per day
• Basic Informal Computer Course Training
• E-learner Online Computer Course Training
• International Computer Digital Literacy (ICDL) Computer Course Training
• Online University applications.
• Online bursary and financial aid (NASFAS) applications.
• Typing CVs and other documents.
• Online job searches and applications.
• PAY internship program applications.
• Register students for the new school year.
• SARS E-filing
• UIF Applications
• PSIRA Registrations
• ID Applications

The eCentre has two spaces, one dedicated to user access and the other serving as a training facility, accommodating up to 23 users and 10 training candidates at a time.

Today, the eCentre stands as a beacon of hope and progress amidst the socio-economic challenges faced by its residents. In 2023, the staff at the eCentre helped 280 students with school enrolment and secured placements for them.

The Klapmuts WCG eCentre works tirelessly to bridge the digital divide in the Western Cape. Through its unwavering dedication and proactive engagement, the eCentre catalyses positive change, enriching the lives of individuals and fostering a collective ethos of progress and prosperity.