ICT developments in the spotlight at 2006 Tshwane Business Week

Tshwane Executive Mayor, Dr Gwen Ramogopa. This year's event again took place at the South African Reserve Bank in Pretoria.

Hub CEO, Dr Neville Comins, and Corporate Affairs Manager, Tsietsi Maleho, attended the 4th Annual Tshwane Business Week Conference, held at the South African Reserve Bank in Pretoria in May this year. Attended by representatives from business sectors including NGOs and science councils, the focus was on "Progressing City Development through Smart Partnerships".

City of Tshwane Executive Mayor, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, announced in her opening address the availability of a R8 billion budget to eradicate poverty, make areas to the north of Pretoria viable, and change its image as a (former) "apartheid city". In addition plans are afoot to complete the metro mobility ring as a development zone of choice that will connect Tshwane to the knowledge economy and provide quality public places.

Dr Comins presented a paper during the final day of the conference as part of the "ICT - Smart City Programme and Knowledge Economy" theme. Other speakers included Nhlanhla Mabaso from the Meraka Institute and Charles Kuun from the Tshwane Digital Hub. Dr Comins emphasised the important value that Science Parks bring to any city's local economic development strategy, saying that such a development "attracts much needed investment in the city and creates a knowledge intensive workforce that is key to the city's international competitiveness".

The Conference concluded with the drafting of way forward recommendations and resolutions, including:

• City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality Partnership Programme
  The municipality will formalise existing and new initiatives through Service Level Agreements and establish review mechanisms to align existing and emerging strategies, such as ASGISA.
  
  
• Tshwane Strategic Framework
  The municipality will finalise, approve and commit resources to implement SMME development and investment strategies, the Capital City Gateway Rail Travel Southern Africa and Beyond Plan, the Inner-City Regeneration project and the Transport Master Plan to ensure alignment to national, provincial and city strategies.
  
  
• Financing Smart Partnerships
  The municipality will increase the degree of Public Private Partnerships (PPP's) through diversification and fast-tracking a flexible approach towards funding PPPs, as well as leverage opportunities afforded by banks.
  
  
• ICT - Smart City Programme and Knowledge Economy
  The Innovation Hub and partners will develop applications to support the Municipal Infrastructure Network, while the Hub will also manage the Tshwane Smart City Project. This project aims to secure support from research and education institutions with instituting good City governance and developing environments that support innovation to enhance the economic development and community wellness. The project will be incorporated into the City's five-year and 2020 plans.
  
  The municipality will include the Meraka Institute in the Smart City project and support its in Open Source and skills development initiatives, and leverage its Municipal Area Network (MAN) through smart partnerships that include the private sector, the Office of the Presidency and the DTI. The Digital Hub will encourage lower broadband costs for Tshwane residents and businesses.
  
  
• 2010 FIFA World Cup
  As a host city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the municipality will align its Tourism Master Plan and Infrastructure Development Plan to the World Cup Tourism and Hosting Strategies, reactivate a Team Tshwane focus to optimise economic benefits from 2010, and set up a Tshwane Soccer Portal on the Internet.

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