ICT

A Mpumalanga coal mine is using 5G.

Sector Insight

ICT is a critical research theme at the University of Mpumalanga.

Canyon Coal’s Phalanndwa Colliery, pictured, is South Africa’s first smart mine. Located near Delmas, the mine produced 1.7-million tons of run-of-mine coal in 2022.

Together with Minetec Smart Mining, Huawei and MTN are partnering to keep the mine and plant connected and monitored using high-speed broadband, through the site’s 5G connectivity. The same partners are working together in Limpopo on a platinum mine and it is expected that many more mines will follow these pilot projects in trying to make the country’s mining sector safer and more automated.

ICT has been chosen as one of the University of Mpumalanga’s six critical research themes. Operating under the title of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), it intends to present easy adoption and use of ICT resources for the betterment of people’s day-to-day activities. Sub-themes are ICT in education, cybersecurity, Internet of Things and data analytics.

The university offers a Diploma in ICT in Applications Development, a three-year course carrying 360 credits and a level-

Online Resources

Seda Technology Programme: www.seda.org.za

State Information Technology Agency: www.sita.co.za

Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa: www.usaasa.org.za six qualification. Three years after starting to offer free WiFi in its operating areas, Glencore Coal and partner Project Isizwe celebrated estimated savings in data costs of more than R100million. Having started with 10 hotspots in Ogies and Phola in the eMalahleni Municipality, the initiative was expanded to the Steve Tshwete and Emakhazeni municipalities where 30 hotspots now function. Communities are consuming more than 28 000GB of data for free every month. Project Isizwe is a non-profit organisation that partners with Internet Service Providers to provide equitable Internet access.

The MTN SA Foundation supports several schools in Mpumalanga as part of MTN’s Back to School campaigns. Eleven schools have multi-media centres, each with 20 computer desks, chairs and teacher stations. The computer laboratories have one server, a multifunctional printer, an interactive whiteboard, a data projector, a router and data connectivity to MTN for 24 months. The province’s new boarding school, Izimbali Combined MST, also has a 40-seater laboratory courtesy of the MTN SA Foundation. ■