THE Ekurhuleni Metro is fast becoming the “digital city” envisioned by mayor Clr Mondli Gungubele in his State of The City Address through the new installation of video conferencing.
In order to live up to its mandate of improving service delivery to its citizens, the metro has installed video conferencing technology across municipal offices.
This infrastructure modernisation process, to ensure faster and more effective services for Ekurhuleni’s residents, will have full functionality and bridging facilities that have the ability to connect multiple video conferencing systems together.
So far, 16 boardrooms have been fitted with video conferencing technology that will benefit residents by facilitating greater productivity, cost savings, increased efficiency and ultimately, faster service delivery.
The next phase of this project will see an additional 15 boardrooms fitted with the technology. The project will continue into 2016.
The technology will also enable quicker decision making and execution by the municipality at executive level.
“The completion of the first phase of the installation represents a milestone in the vision of the EMM to create and maintain a smart and creative developmental city. The implementation of video conferencing technology also forms part of a greater strategic direction that the municipality is taking in terms of embracing and implementing new technologies for the benefit of its employees and citizens,” Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metro, said.
From now onwards, meetings can be scheduled instantly and face-to-face (for a more personal experience), across various communication platforms. Besides traditional video conferencing, other platforms that can be used include devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop PCs, thus allowing participants to remotely join the meeting from anywhere.
With the video conferencing solutions that have been installed, simultaneous content sharing will also allow for a more collaborative meeting room experience, without having to leave the work place.
According to Khaya Ngema, Ekurhuleni city manager, the video conferencing solution will result in the municipality ensuring significant cost savings and faster, more effective service delivery.
Other key benefits of the solution include:
* Emergency decision making in times of crisis
* Instant ad-hoc meetings for critical decision making
* The ability to include those who previously couldn’t partake due to travel restrictions
* Eliminate the need for note taking as meetings can be fully recorded
* Improved use of executive and municipal members’ time
* Video training to remote locations
* Accelerated decision making
* Reduced carbon footprint
The video conferencing services can also assist to enable inter/intra government agency communication including joint planning, training and education, multi-organisation co-ordination and collaboration, continuity of operations and secure communications.
