Delegates try out free wi-fi at Midrand conference
MIDRAND - Project Isizwe, a non-profit organisation that rolls out free wi-fi for public spaces in low-income communities, recently showcased the benefits of using free wi-fi in Midrand to delegates attending the inaugural Gauteng Infrastructure Investment Conference in Midrand.
Project Isizwe already supplies free wi-fi in Atlantis, Robertson, Thohoyandou, Mount Frere and Lusikisiki, as well as 630 sites with over 700 000 users connected in Tshwane.
Zahir Khan, chief operating officer of Project Isizwe said, “Free wi-fi fulfills a major role in the broadband connectivity needed for infrastructure development.”
The conference brought together the private sector and government to engage on Gauteng’s infrastructure needs and investment opportunities such as broadband connectivity. Other investment opportunities on the agenda included new post-apartheid cities, energy, ICT, water and sanitation and inner city regeneration.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe and Gauteng Premier David Makhura emphasised the importance of partnerships to finance the infrastructure necessary for economic growth in the province.
At the conference, Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau said the City of Johannesburg’s Smart City strategy, designed to bridge the digital divide in communities across the metropolitan municipality, integrates technology and smarter processing into all aspects of the City’s operations via a smart meter network, an intelligence integrated operations centre and digital citizen engagement platforms that are underpinned by a wi-fi network along 900km of high-speed fibre.
“Johannesburg Broadband Network is now restored as a City-run public asset. The full Smart City strategy comes to life for the digitally literate of our established suburbs and 50 percent of Johannesburg households with no consistent access to the internet, mainly clustered in townships and informal settlements,” said Tau.
- Wireless mesh currently covers 50 percent of Braamfontein, with 1 000 wi-fi hotspots actively supporting 75 percent access to affordable internet connectivity; more than 100 of these hotspots are already live
- 34 BRT stations (Soweto-CBD corridor: T1 & T2 routes) are live
- 20 buses are mobile hotspots
A major deficit is the activation of digital literacy among communities, which is currently being addressed through Jozi Digital Ambassadors, which was launched on 7 August.
Join the Joburg North Local News WhatsApp group and get live news updates sent straight to your phone.
Just send a WhatsApp message with your name and surname to 079 439 5345.
