Date: 22/04/2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: N Mahlangu: Launch of Mpumalanga provincial website
REMARKS BY PREMIER NJ MAHLANGU AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL WEBSITE, 22 April 2004
Programme Directors
Leaders and members of local government
Representatives and members of the business community
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of the people of Mpumalanga I'm pleased to present an important new tool for the people of the province.
During the elections we told our people that we will continue strive to strengthen our links with them on a sustained and not a sporadic basis. We said that because we believe that this would enable us to increase our understanding of the feelings, desires and aspirations of these masses.
It will also help us to carry out our leadership role better and in manner that is responsive to the needs of our people. Doing so will enable us to ensure that masses of our people are mobilised to engage in active struggle and do not become passive recipients of positive results of the process of progressive change.
Of course we will do so with the understanding that our process of transformation is people-driven. The masses of our people must continue to be the principal motive force of revolutionary change.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe the Mpumalanga Provincial Government website will go some way in keeping us in touch with the people. We believe that it is the responsibility of Government to communicate to the South African population, and indeed to the rest of the world, on a continual and on an accurate basis.
It is important because we do indeed sincerely believe that when we talk about a democratic system in South Africa, which is responsive to the feelings, the ideas, the moods, the needs and so on of the people, it is important that the people should know what the Provincial government is doing.
We believe that the launching of this Website is very much part of a process of ensuring accessibility of Government to the people.
The Constitution itself gives people the right to information. Many people around the world are continuously interested to know what is happening in our province.
Sometimes the spotlight focuses on areas that are somewhat painful and embarrassing for us as a province, and maybe you wish that people would not know what was happening. But in the end it is important that the rest of the country and the world should get accurate information of what is happening.
That is more the reason why we should approach the web site critically amongst those people who want to use it. To see whether indeed it is user friendly, to see whether it indeed contains this breadth and extent of information, which is necessary for people to be able to make informed judgement so as to be able to make an impact on the system of governance in the province and country.
It is also important that the people who use the site give us feedback on it. Is our website user- friendly? They must suggest on ways of improving our site. By being able to surf our site, people in Mpumalanga will be able to find out the truth about our provincial government and our departments.
The person in Mpumalanga must be able to know what is happening in Gauteng, the North West or any other provinces. Indeed in the rest of Africa and the world.
As we know the driving force behind the networked society and economy is the astonishing development of the last decade or so is the information and communications technologies.
The information and communications revolution offers ever more powerful and enhanced capabilities, affecting and transforming patterns of work, education and health delivery, entertainment, public opinion and so on. But this revolution is different from the agricultural and industrial revolutions. Although both the agricultural and industrial revolutions involved new knowledge, in both instances different inputs were critical.
There is no denying that digital revolution; developments in telecommunications and the Internet are having a profound effect on society.
The globalisation of and the ability by societies and communities to network has led to increasing levels of interdependence among people of the world. The emerging networked society and economy have opened many opportunities for millions of people around the world.
Increased trade, new technologies foreign investments, expanding media and Internet connections are fuelling economic growth and human advance. These developments offer great potential to accelerate development and to eradicate the scourge of poverty that continues to afflict huge numbers of the world's population, especially in the developing countries.
These same developments however have the potential to become the greatest force for widening the gap between the rich and the poor, the developed and the developing countries. It can become a force for social and economic marginalisation and, even exclusion.
Our goal is to put the latest technology at the service of our people, first, by improving efficiency with which their provincial government operates; second, by providing information that people need when they need it, not just when Riverside decides to give it.
Government officials at every level can find information about everything from economic development to disaster preparedness. Our website also connects user to National Government website and that of the other eight provinces and local governments, providing still more information on government services.
We believe that this website will be one of the most visited sites on the web. People in Mpumalanga and the country, indeed worldwide, must be able to find critical information about our government's response to creating work and fighting poverty.
The Mpumalanga Government website will make government transactions, information and services much more accessible to all of those who use them. This is an attempt to remedy one of government's oldest problems, the slow, confusing and often ineffective ways in which it responds to public.
The private sector has made great improvements in customer service, in part because of technological innovation. Government has sometimes lagged behind. But with the redesign of this website we make a great stride forward, meeting a higher standard of service.
Using our website citizens can easily find government benefits for which they qualify, or browse for job opportunities or apply for a passport or a student loan.
Likewise businesses can search for business opportunities or submit their names as service providers.
Information and communication technologies provide medium through which humanity both generates and communicates knowledge. By now you must be wondering when I am going to use that word you like most: IN CONCLUSION.
Well, in conclusion, thank you very much indeed for coming this afternoon.
Before we take a look at our site, let me thank each of you for your commitment and hard work. Thanks to you, people all across Mpumalanga will find their government more responsive and more accountable in the years ahead. A lot of time and expertise has gone into this project and the Provincial government and I very much appreciate it.
Joy and your colleagues both inside and outside of government, thank you for your sterling efforts in bringing government closer to the people. I hope you will work harder in establishing multi-purpose community centres around the province in areas where these do not exist. This will enable people in rural areas to have access to this modem technology.
Ladies and gentlemen, I know that you did not come merely for the food and the drinks.
You are because you are part of the process of launching what must become an important tool in the process of entrenching the system of democratic governance in this country, of entrenching this popular participation in the system of government.
And with that, I now officially present the new Mpumalanga website.
Thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
22 April 2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
(http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/)
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: N Mahlangu: Launch of Mpumalanga provincial website
REMARKS BY PREMIER NJ MAHLANGU AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL WEBSITE, 22 April 2004
Programme Directors
Leaders and members of local government
Representatives and members of the business community
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of the people of Mpumalanga I'm pleased to present an important new tool for the people of the province.
During the elections we told our people that we will continue strive to strengthen our links with them on a sustained and not a sporadic basis. We said that because we believe that this would enable us to increase our understanding of the feelings, desires and aspirations of these masses.
It will also help us to carry out our leadership role better and in manner that is responsive to the needs of our people. Doing so will enable us to ensure that masses of our people are mobilised to engage in active struggle and do not become passive recipients of positive results of the process of progressive change.
Of course we will do so with the understanding that our process of transformation is people-driven. The masses of our people must continue to be the principal motive force of revolutionary change.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe the Mpumalanga Provincial Government website will go some way in keeping us in touch with the people. We believe that it is the responsibility of Government to communicate to the South African population, and indeed to the rest of the world, on a continual and on an accurate basis.
It is important because we do indeed sincerely believe that when we talk about a democratic system in South Africa, which is responsive to the feelings, the ideas, the moods, the needs and so on of the people, it is important that the people should know what the Provincial government is doing.
We believe that the launching of this Website is very much part of a process of ensuring accessibility of Government to the people.
The Constitution itself gives people the right to information. Many people around the world are continuously interested to know what is happening in our province.
Sometimes the spotlight focuses on areas that are somewhat painful and embarrassing for us as a province, and maybe you wish that people would not know what was happening. But in the end it is important that the rest of the country and the world should get accurate information of what is happening.
That is more the reason why we should approach the web site critically amongst those people who want to use it. To see whether indeed it is user friendly, to see whether it indeed contains this breadth and extent of information, which is necessary for people to be able to make informed judgement so as to be able to make an impact on the system of governance in the province and country.
It is also important that the people who use the site give us feedback on it. Is our website user- friendly? They must suggest on ways of improving our site. By being able to surf our site, people in Mpumalanga will be able to find out the truth about our provincial government and our departments.
The person in Mpumalanga must be able to know what is happening in Gauteng, the North West or any other provinces. Indeed in the rest of Africa and the world.
As we know the driving force behind the networked society and economy is the astonishing development of the last decade or so is the information and communications technologies.
The information and communications revolution offers ever more powerful and enhanced capabilities, affecting and transforming patterns of work, education and health delivery, entertainment, public opinion and so on. But this revolution is different from the agricultural and industrial revolutions. Although both the agricultural and industrial revolutions involved new knowledge, in both instances different inputs were critical.
There is no denying that digital revolution; developments in telecommunications and the Internet are having a profound effect on society.
The globalisation of and the ability by societies and communities to network has led to increasing levels of interdependence among people of the world. The emerging networked society and economy have opened many opportunities for millions of people around the world.
Increased trade, new technologies foreign investments, expanding media and Internet connections are fuelling economic growth and human advance. These developments offer great potential to accelerate development and to eradicate the scourge of poverty that continues to afflict huge numbers of the world's population, especially in the developing countries.
These same developments however have the potential to become the greatest force for widening the gap between the rich and the poor, the developed and the developing countries. It can become a force for social and economic marginalisation and, even exclusion.
Our goal is to put the latest technology at the service of our people, first, by improving efficiency with which their provincial government operates; second, by providing information that people need when they need it, not just when Riverside decides to give it.
Government officials at every level can find information about everything from economic development to disaster preparedness. Our website also connects user to National Government website and that of the other eight provinces and local governments, providing still more information on government services.
We believe that this website will be one of the most visited sites on the web. People in Mpumalanga and the country, indeed worldwide, must be able to find critical information about our government's response to creating work and fighting poverty.
The Mpumalanga Government website will make government transactions, information and services much more accessible to all of those who use them. This is an attempt to remedy one of government's oldest problems, the slow, confusing and often ineffective ways in which it responds to public.
The private sector has made great improvements in customer service, in part because of technological innovation. Government has sometimes lagged behind. But with the redesign of this website we make a great stride forward, meeting a higher standard of service.
Using our website citizens can easily find government benefits for which they qualify, or browse for job opportunities or apply for a passport or a student loan.
Likewise businesses can search for business opportunities or submit their names as service providers.
Information and communication technologies provide medium through which humanity both generates and communicates knowledge. By now you must be wondering when I am going to use that word you like most: IN CONCLUSION.
Well, in conclusion, thank you very much indeed for coming this afternoon.
Before we take a look at our site, let me thank each of you for your commitment and hard work. Thanks to you, people all across Mpumalanga will find their government more responsive and more accountable in the years ahead. A lot of time and expertise has gone into this project and the Provincial government and I very much appreciate it.
Joy and your colleagues both inside and outside of government, thank you for your sterling efforts in bringing government closer to the people. I hope you will work harder in establishing multi-purpose community centres around the province in areas where these do not exist. This will enable people in rural areas to have access to this modem technology.
Ladies and gentlemen, I know that you did not come merely for the food and the drinks.
You are because you are part of the process of launching what must become an important tool in the process of entrenching the system of democratic governance in this country, of entrenching this popular participation in the system of government.
And with that, I now officially present the new Mpumalanga website.
Thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
22 April 2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
(http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/)
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