JOHANNESBURG - The administration in Gauteng is investing in information and communications technology and e-government services as it pursues its goal of becoming a "smart" province, its member of the executive committee for finance Barbara Creecy said on Thursday.
Creecy also told an Information Technology Association of South Africa conference that the sector had, in the current era of technological innovation, a greater role to play than ever before in helping build a country and economy which would create jobs for young people.
"ICT-enabled public service delivery offers an opportunity to improve efficiency and access to public services; develops the transparency and accountability of governments and empowers citizens to better participate in decision making processes," she said.
She noted that Statistics South Africa had found that almost 60 percent of households in the Gauteng city region had direct access to the Internet, making it necessary for local governments to move towards providing on-line services.
"The Gauteng provincial government is committed to forming long term partnerships with institutions of higher learning and the private sector in our quest to modernize our economy and government services," she said.