Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services deputy director-general Tinyiko Ngobeni told parliament's telecommunications and postal services portfolio committee yesterday that several government departments would be represented in the war room and that the economic cluster was finalising its terms of reference.
The room will focus on unblocking challenges in rolling out the SA Connect strategy, which aims to achieve 100% broadband coverage at 10Mbps and 80% at 100Mbps in the country by 2030.
With regard to ensuring broadband infrastructure for the government, Ngobeni said a two-phase strategy had been adopted to connect schools, clinics, post offices, police stations and other government facilities.
In the first phase, 6135 facilities in eight municipalities would be connected, and in the second 35211 facilities in 44 district councils would have access to the internet.
The department received R336-million for the project in the current financial year, R174-million less than it requested.
In total, in terms of the medium-term expenditure framework, R1.5-billion has been allocated against the R1.9-billion requested.
The lack of funding to procure broadband connectivity was a challenge, Ngobeni said.
He told MPs that the tender issued by the State Information Technology Agency to connect government facilities closed on August 8 and was under evaluation until next month.
"The phase 2 business case was developed and submitted to national Treasury for funding," he added. "The department is working with the Treasury to unblock the funding issue."
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