Mpumalanga Provincial Government to partner with Samsung
08 April 2013
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government is considering partnering with a South Korean multi-national conglomerate company headquartered in Seoul on areas of education, health, safety, security, e-government, and on information communication technology.
This follows a successful visit to South Korea by Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza who was accompanied by Education MEC Regina Mhaule, Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe and the provincial director-general Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize.
The delegation visited a number of public and private facilities operated by the company in Seoul and identified possible areas for cooperation with an effort to benefit the citizens of Mpumalanga.
The provincial government has an interest on the company’s products and solutions which are believed could unlock a number of challenges and assists with effective service delivery.
The delegation first visited the Samsung-supported Hyowon Elementary School in Seoul where they shared knowledge on the utilisation of technology in preparing the learners for higher educational grades.
The delegation was told that every school in Seoul had a computer and a high speed internet connection and their textbooks had been digitised. According to information provided some countries were already benchmarking with their education system.
At Samsung Digital City, the delegation was briefed on the modern electronic products and solutions for e-government in administering health care, education, safety and security.
The delegation also visited the Korean Education and Research Information Services [KERIS], a government funded organisation which develops and implements that country’s government policies on education.
One of its major mandates is to promote the usage of ICT in schools by both the teachers and the learners. The organisation is perceived to have greatly assisted in turning that country’s education system to be one of the best.
The delegation also visited the Seoul Emergency Operations Centre to share and get more knowledge on how to run an effective disaster management centre. The provincial government has recently raised concerns about its rapid response system on dealing with disasters that it did not benefit the citizens as in most cases people were negatively affected regardless of the predicted tragedies.
The delegation was impressed by one of the 10 Samsung Medical Centres operated in Seoul and aspired to cooperate with the company in an effort to boost Mpumalanga’s health care system.
“It is sufficient to say we are interested on their products, however we must acknowledge that our environment is very different and difficult as compared to theirs; some of the solutions they have presented to us can work in our situation regardless.
“Most of our schools still do not have electricity and as a provincial government we are still grappling with having paperless classrooms. Although it is not happening in our province, some learners still learn under the trees.
“As a way forward, we need to start somewhere. We need to sit down and decide on what we can partner on. There is a lot we can do with Samsung. I do not see us going full scale, we need to start small, concentrate on well-advanced schools in order for those to help the developing ones,” said the Premier.
According to the Premier the provincial government would want to develop a model with Samsung that would suit Mpumalanga conditions.
While in South Korea, the Premier was given a free full medical check-up at the main Samsung Hospital in Seoul, a privilege given by the company to its premium partners around the world.
Referring to the province’s public health, Premier Mabuza said the sector had a “package of challenges” which needed urgent solutions. He said by being “open and allow Samsung to put one or two hospitals” in Mpumalanga, could assist the provincial government to deliver better health care services.
“Our health system is not working. In the main we have a staff attitude problem. We first need to change the attitude, get people motivated, and then we can subsequently and successfully manage our health care facilities,” said the Premier.
“Although I am the Premier of the province, I am not satisfied about the health service we give to our people, it has dismally gone down. We would therefore consider partnering with Samsung in the provision of health care.
“We want to spend our energies in trying to fix problems on our health and education systems. We are quite happy about the products Samsung has presented to us and we are convinced about the quality of the services. We definitely want the company to have its presence in Mpumalanga,” said Mabuza.
The Premier further asked Samsung who are already considering starting a science and technology Academy in South Africa to build it in Mpumalanga since the province is regarded as a gateway to Mozambique, Swaziland and the rest of other nearest provinces in the country.
With regards to the functioning of the province’s disaster management centre, the Premier said he believed Samsung’s technology could be utilised for early warning detection as compared to responding once tragedies have struck.
The Premier has tasked both MECs who accompanied him to South Korea to start working on processes of developing a memorandum of understanding with Samsung. He has also lobbied the company to have another assembly plant in Mpumalanga as it is currently assembling only in Gauteng.
While in Seoul, the delegation also learnt that the company was not only about electronics as it was were greatly involved on construction, engineering, food processing, ICT, securities and retail amongst others and has globalised all its activities.
According to information provided during the visit, the company generates at least 20 percent of its country’s growth development product. It has more than 22 000 employees at its headquarters alone excluding those in other countries.
Through its smart education programme, the company currently supports at least two schools in South Africa with E-Learning Centres in Piet Retief [Mpumalanga] and in Tembisa [Gauteng].
The 28 classroom Inqubeko High School in Piet Retief has an e-Learning Centre supported with 25 computers and an Interactive whiteboard while Phomolong High School in Tembisa uses its computers through a solar-power.
During the visit, Samsung further committed a state of the art solar-powered mobile clinic for Mpumalanga set to be launched by May this year.
The Premier was delighted to honour the invitation to the company’s headquarters in South Korea by President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa Mr Kwang Kee Park and hoped it would benefit Mpumalanga citizens.
“Indeed we would want to establish a working relationship with them, with the hope that with their technology, we would one day confidently say, what was difficult yesterday is much easier today,” said Mabuza.
Issued by Zibonele Mncwango
Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Tel: (013) 766 – 2453
Mobile: 079 491 0163
E-mail: zmncwango@mpg.gov.za
