Vodacom Business accelerates the growth of smart cities in South Africa

In its commitment to digitalising critical enterprise sectors, Vodacom Business is working with local governments to provide technology solutions to help make South African cities smarter. Announcing the partnership, which forms part of a five-year Transversal Contract with the National Treasury, Vodacom Business showcased the significant role digital solutions can play in enabling municipalities to deliver services efficiently and build an inclusive future.

“We have a proven track record in partnering with the public sector to deliver transformative digital solutions. We aim to use our experience and expertise in understanding government needs to achieve their smart city goals. This includes digitalising utilities management, healthcare, education and security, which streamline operations, enhance efficiencies and improve the lives of citizens,” says Videsha Proothveerajh, Director of Vodacom Business.

Digital solutions can help municipalities manage the consumption and delivery of services, such as water and electricity. Vodacom Business offers a smart utilities management system, which makes use of connected smart meters to provide real-time information on consumption. This can also help to improve accurate billing and revenue collection for residents and has been extended to include fleet management – saving the municipalities costs and enhancing the lifespan, value and efficiency of their assets. To further enhance service delivery, Vodacom Business has also developed and deployed the Citizen Engagement app, which enables two-way communication and collaboration between citizens and municipalities, including logging service requests and tracking their progress.

Technology has been effectively leveraged as a solution for improving critical access to healthcare. Apps, such as the secure, cloud-based Stock Visibility Solution (SVS) by Vodacom Business, can strengthen stock-level monitoring and administration by healthcare facilities to deliver greater efficiency and medication-dispensing responses. For better patient care, AitaHealth is a smartphone-based platform that empowers Community Health Workers (CHWs) to deliver preventative care services to communities on a home-based level. Other digital initiatives from Vodacom Business to support public healthcare delivery include the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, which allows users to track ambulance requests from the moment a call is logged all the way through to the final delivery of the patients at their destination.

In the education space, Vodacom Business has developed digital solutions to support education departments and schools with more streamlined e-admissions, as well as bridging the communication gap between schools, district management and provincial offices for greater visibility. Vodacom’s e-learning uses mobile technology to help improve the learning experience both in and out of the classroom, supporting the government’s goal to improve educational outcomes in South Africa.

In ensuring citizen safety, Vodacom Business has developed various IoT security solutions, such as real-time firearm tracking and geo-fencing to enhance public sector security services. Body-worn cameras facilitate real-time video transmission to central locations, enabling live monitoring during critical situations and providing evidentiary proof for incident management.

“As Vodacom celebrates its 30th anniversary, Vodacom Business remains committed to transforming enterprises of every size to change lives and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital future. By enabling the growth of smart cities, we are turning public services into public successes and supporting the government to utilise the power of technology to better serve citizens and create an inclusive digital society in South Africa,” concludes Proothveerajh.