By Nangamso Mabindla
15 August 2006

MDANTSANE residents will soon have the chance to master technical computer skills, with the use of new equipment donated by the township's urban renewal programme to its Information Communication Technology Centre.

In addition to computers, the centre received a satellite dish from the national department of communication's agency, the Universal Aid Agency, which assists previously disadvantaged areas around the country in developing ICT centres.

"We target the nodes identified by the president for the urban renewal programme; we have already been to Motherwell in the [Nelson Mandela] Metro and other areas like OR Tambo in the King Sabatha Dalindyebo District," said Mawethu Tilimeni from the Universal Aid Agency.

Other areas that have received assistance from the agency include the uKhahlamba District Municipality (Barkley East, Burgersorp and Aliwal North) and the Chris Hani District (Queenstown, Cala and other six local municipalities).

"We work very closely with the Government Communications and Information System; they are the ones entrusted with establishing multi purpose community centres that house these ICT centres," added Tilimeni.

The agency has also formed a partnership with the International Computer Drivers' Licence, which will provide computer training as part of their social responsibility programme.

Looking at the benefits the ICT centre would bring to Mdantsane, Tilimeni said the township's youths would now have access to internationally recognised computer certificates.

Abongile Maqwazima from Imara Technologies, who has been appointed to run the centre, said another bonus was that matriculants and students would be able to do research on the internet and Mdantsane residents would now not need to travel 15 kilometres to East London for computer access.

"The centre will also provide training to the community, especially people involved in small business and Adult Basic Education Training. We will also have voice over i-pods; and these are the newest and cheapest technologies," said Maqwazima.

In future, Maqwazima said they would like to see the centre making money to run itself. "We will approach the public and private sector to bring their employees for training in our centre; this will help us train residents at cheaper prices. This will also create employment for unemployed IT-related graduates with an opportunity to be tutors," said Maqwazima.

Launched in October 2003, the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme aims to change the face of the township by bringing employment, improving living conditions and making Mdantsane an economic hub of Buffalo City.