Tshwane gets smarter

At this year’s TechEd conference, currently underway in Durban, the City of Tshwane announced that it has joined forces with Microsoft to create a Smart City.

According to the City of Tshwane Strategic Executive Director, Nomasonto Ndlovo, the city has already deployed 500km of fibre, which has resulted in savings over the past few years by allowing the city to connect buildings over their own networks – instead of outsourcing the projects as was done in the past. She said that deploying more fibre, especially to educational, government and municipal buildings will result in further cost savings and will be crucial in creating a Smart City.

Ndlovo said that the city will make use of its information and communication technology infrastructure to become a Smart City that embodies smart governance, economy, people, environment, mobility and relations.

‚”Partnering with industry leaders is a key choice for City of Tshwane,” she said. Recently Tshwane was selected to receive an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant, based on its commitment to transform it through technology. The City now joins Microsoft on its Out of Office road shows and Microsoft Tech Ed 2013 conference in the city of eThekwini to educate attendees on its route to creating a Smart City.

The Out of Office roadshows will be launch this month and to mark this, Microsoft will be embarking on a national Roadshow across 26 towns throughout the country, targeting enterprise, public sector, SMEs, consumer and educational facilities.

* “