The City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for corporate services, as well as the SmartCape project team, paid a visit to the Harare Library in Khayelitsha.
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The purpose of the visit was to film a Digital Dialogue video segment and observe the SmartCape Digital Inclusion Training firsthand. The training began at the library yesterday, February 27, 2024, and will conclude on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
The City’s SmartCape Digital Inclusion Training programme, which was held in Khayelitsha yesterday, is part of a larger programme that accepts a maximum of ten candidates at a time and covers typing a CV, cover letter, spreadsheets, the internet, and cyber security. Candidates are community members of various ages and backgrounds.
The average age of yesterday’s participants was between 18 and 55 years old. The main reasons cited for attendance were a desire to learn how to apply for jobs, to run their business administration and to build the confidence to assist their children with homework that requires computer literacy.
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‘I am quite excited to have met this keen group of community members who participated in the training,’ said the City’s mayoral committee member for corporate services, Theresa Uys.
‘The first day was about basic computer skills such as opening and closing LibreOffice Writer, navigating Ribbon software, formatting and so forth. On the second day, the group goes on to practise these skills to write up their CVs and create budget spreadsheets. The third day of the training goes into the Internet-of-things and Cyber Security. So it is a very rounded introductory programme.’
‘The SmartCape program was initiated in July 2002, with five computers being installed in six public libraries across the City on a pilot basis. By the end of 2002, there were 3 000 registered SmartCape users.’
SmartCape currently has over 500 000 registered users who can access 45 minutes of free internet per session per day via 670 computers in 104 libraries. Many people can now apply for jobs and run their own businesses online.
‘Most people find it quite intimidating to try something out for the first time, and this can often put people off from using computers. SmartCape is where many residents are exposed to the internet on a desktop for the first time. Over the years, the City has learnt that it is simply not enough to provide residents with the necessary equipment, without guiding them through the process of how to optimally utilise technology to their benefit,’ concluded Uys.
Residents that are interested in signing up for the Digital Inclusion Training or making use of any of the SmartCape services can visit their nearest City of Cape Town library and sign up.
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Beyond the Digital Inclusion Training, the City soon plans to introduce:
- Coding and Robotics Programme
- Social Media Careers
- SmartCape Cadettes
- LAN Gaming Events
- Public WiFI
- SmartCape Digital Kiosk
- and Councillor Reading Rooms
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Picture: Supplied
