Western Cape Government and Microsoft Launch 'e-Googlethu'

The Western Cape Government and Microsoft will this weekend launch 'e-Googlethu' Cape Access Centre, the nineteenth of its kind, empowering the community of Gugulethu with direct and free access to computers and the internet. The project is a joint venture between the Provincial Government and Microsoft.

The community of Gugulethu will be joined by the Director-General of the Province, Ms Virginia Petersen, as well as Mr Lance Williams, head of the province's Centre for e-Innovation, and Mr Themba Mdlalose, Microsoft's Community Affairs Manager.

The Cape Access programme was initiated in June 2004 as part of the Department of the Premier's strategy to stimulate economic competitiveness by providing the means for citizens of the Western Cape to participate in the emerging knowledge economy.

Cape Access ensures that the public has access to computers, the Internet, skills training and the necessary technological infrastructure to enable them to interact electronically with the government, the business sector and with each other. The idea of this project is to create an information society amongst citizens who are poor, unemployed and marginalised. Communities will be able to access information and knowledge and use and share it in a process of empowerment to help them achieve their full potential.

Cape Access has also established community structures called e-Community Forums. The purpose of these forums is to drive information-society projects in communities and manage the e-centres. Communities will be taught to use information communication technology (ICTs) and will be made aware of the benefits of using ICTs. The forums support provincial government communication initiatives and events initiated to raise awareness of key government programmes.

The details are:

Date: Saturday, 28 March 2009
Time: 09:00
Venue: I.D. Mkhize Primary School, Gugulethu

Directions:
Driving from Cape Town on the N2, take the Bellville/Gugulethu turn-off (the second turn-off after Vanguard Drive). Turn to your right at the top of the off-ramp. At the four-way intersection, turn to your right and drive towards Gugulethu. At the traffic lights, turn to your right into NY1. Driving down NY1, pass through the first traffic light and proceed to the stop street. Turn to your right at the stop street. The school is at the end of the road.

For further information, please contact Refilwe Tshabalala at rtshabal@pgwc.gov.za or 021-483-4384/079 776 6040.