South Africa Govt Finally Moves on Y2k Debugging

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Govt Finally Moves on Y2K Debugging

Carol Hills
Caxton

Contracts were finally awarded yesterday for the Y2K-debugging of critical computer systems in 812 of South Africa's 843 municipalities.

Critical systems are electricity, water, sewerage, billing, payroll and traffic lights. The 31 municipalities not affected are all smaller local authorities that do not have significant computer systems that can be affected by the Y2K computer problem.

The contracts for the remediation, auditing and reviewing of these critical systems of municipalities across the country were finalised with only 80 days to go to the Year 2000, which many fear could result in massive disruptions.

The cost of fixing the systems is expected to reach R400 million, of which R170 million had been spent by September. The initial work has been done by the municipalities themselves, and by provincial task teams set up earlier this year to assist in their work.

A spokesman for the Department of Constitutional Development said the adjudication of tenders for the remaining work was done by an evaluation board set up by the department in terms of procedures laid down by the State Tender Board.

The names of the successful companies have not been announced because they had not yet been informed. In some cases, more than one company has been selected to perform an operation.

Companies responsible for correcting computer systems would not be the same as those responsible for inspecting remediation work. the spokesman said. Figures disclosed last month indicated that local authorities still had some way to go before they were Y2K-compliant.

Those in the Eastern Cape were only 72 percent Y2K-compliant, Free State 78 percent, Gauteng 71 percent, KwaZulu- Natal 70 percent, Mpumalanga 72 percent, North West 58 percent, Northern Province 77 percent, Northern Cape 62 percent and Western Cape 65 percent.

The finalisation of the local government Y2K remediation programme follows a memorandum of understanding signed in May between the government, the private sector and state-owned enterprises, in terms of which the private sector is to manage, on behalf of the government, the project to remediate local authorities computer systems still not Y2K-compliant.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), October 19, 1999

Answers

Nothing like getting a jump on the problem, eh?

Here's the link

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), October 19, 1999.


Nice find, Dog.

Pay attention, ANDY.

dave

-- dave (wootendave@hotmail.com), October 19, 1999.


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