During the deliberations on the Annual Report for the Department of the Premier, it was revealed that the Department achieved 100% of its revised targets for the 2020/21 Financial Year along with a clean audit, despite the disruptions cause by the pandemic and lockdown regulations. In fact, access to free public Wi-Fi has expanded with the number of new hotspots doubling. With the installation of 553 new Wi-Fi hotspots, this brings the total of public Wi-Fi spots up to 1 100.
The Department’s efforts to upskill and bring technology closer to residents has also been seen through the establishment of a new Cape Access Centre, and although only able to reopen after the end of the second wave, more than 1 500 training opportunities have taken place across the province in just three months.
We’ve also seen 634 young people complete the Premier’s Advancement of Youth Programme for the year under review. This one or two-year internship in Western Cape Government aims to support the employability of young people through skills development programmes, mentorship, and career guidance.
The Department of the Premier has been a key pillar in the Western Cape Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It launched several public campaigns to keep residents informed about the virus and how we can keep one another safe. It also played an important humanitarian role at the height of the lockdown regulations through the Western Cape Government Contact Centre. Daily calls to the centre increased fivefold, with the centre fielding as many as 450 000 calls per month. Despite the sharp increase in calls and requests for government assistance in connecting residents with feed schemes carried out by the Department of Social Development and inquires around SASSA grants, the centre was able to achieve a resolution rate of 96%.
MPP Ricardo Mackenzie comments: “The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated that the Western Cape Government find new and better ways of delivering services to residents and become a more agile, responsive government than ever before. The efforts by the Premier’s Department has showcased commitment to its residents both in connecting them to opportunities and protecting them throughout the pandemic. We welcome the good work by the Department of the Premier and will continue to monitor its progress in delivering services to the residents of the Western Cape.”