Asimile Siyaqhuba - Driving Technology Forward In The City

 

DRIVING TECHNOLOGY FORWARD IN THE CITY

THE INFORMATION Technology Directorate of eThekwini Municipality plays a critical role in shaping the City’s digital future. Its mandate focuses on developing and promoting an Information Communications Technology (ITC) vision that addresses current challenges while enabling long-term growth. Highlighting the technological goals made by the directorate is eThekwini’s Five-Year Service Delivery Milestones campaign being rolled out under the theme: Asimile Siyaqhuba: Resilience Through Adversity. The campaign highlights transformative efforts that have shaped service delivery during the 2021 to 2026 term of office.

Key strategic priorities include building a paperless environment, ensuring secure and integrated data management, and strengthening reliable ICT infrastructure, including cloud solutions. A central focus of the directorate is the use of Geographic Information Systems, which helps address issues and supports the vision of transforming eThekwini into a modern digital hub for future generations. The Public Wi-Fi Programme forms a central pillar of the City’s Digital Inclusion Strategy and Smart City agenda being driven by the Information Technology Directorate. Director of the Information Technology Directorate Robert Dlamini said over the past five financial years, the Public Wi Fi Programme has significantly expanded equitable internet access across municipal wards. The eThekwini Public Wi-Fi Programme has delivered measurable, city-wide digital inclusion progress. With 75 percent of the strategic target achieved and 98 percent ward-level reach established, the programme remains a critical enabler of social equity, economic participation, and digital transformation within the City.

Strategic Target

The approved long-term strategic target for the programme is 750 public Wi-Fi Sites across the Municipality. This target aligns with a minimum of three sites per municipal ward, the deployment within high-footfall public facilities, prioritisation of underserved and previously disadvantaged communities and the expansion of affordable digital access across all 110 wards.

Infrastructure Growth and Progress

Currently 565 active Public Wi-Fi Sites have been installed (cumulative to date). Dlamini said this represents substantial progress toward universal ward level coverage and positions the Municipality as a leading implementer of municipal digital infrastructure within the province.

Expanding Digital Infrastructure

To date, the Municipality has installed 1 633 enterprise grade Wi-Fi access points across both indoor and outdoor environments. These access points are strategically deployed in high-demand areas to support reliable, high-capacity connectivity for residents and visitors alike.

Accessible Community Connectivity

Public Wi-Fi has been deployed at key locations that support daily life and economic activity, including:

           ·          Municipal libraries

           ·          Sizakala Centres

           ·          Clinics and healthcare facilities

           ·          Schools and community halls

           ·          Sports grounds and public parks

           ·          Tourism hubs such as beachfront areas

           ·          Market precincts and transport nodes

           ·          Key economic corridors, including Florida Road.

Empowering Residents Through Free Access

A key feature of the programme is its free data allocation model, which provides 2GB of free data per user per day, accessible through a secure self-registration portal. This approach ensures fair and consistent access while maintaining sustainability. The Wi-Fi Programme continues to experience strong uptake and usage with over 446 000 registered users to date. There are between 24 000 and 26 000 daily connections and around 2 000 concurrent users during peak periods. These milestones highlight the Municipality’s ongoing efforts to expand digital inclusion.