Honourable Bonginkosi Wesley Dhlamini was sworn in by Judge Lebogang Modiba as the new MEC for the Gauteng Department of e-Government during the inauguration of the 7th administration in the provincial legislature by Gauteng Premier Hon. Panyaza Lesufi on Wednesday night, 3 July 2024, following the Government of Provincial Unity.
He takes over the department as part of the seventh administration’s efforts to develop the province’s Transformation, Modernization, and Re-industrialization (TMR) Program. This also adds to the provincial strategic priorities of Growing Gauteng Together (GGT) 2030.
MEC Dhlamini grew up in Soweto in the former Transvaal during apartheid. He joined the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), formerly known as Inkatha in 1983 and served as chairperson of Inkatha’s Soweto branch from 1985 to 1987.
Furthermore, he is a sensible leader having served in the provincial legislature since May 2010, gaining re-election in 2014 and 2019. At the IFP’s provincial elective conference in Ekurhuleni in October 2019, MEC Dhlamini was elected provincial chairperson of the IFP in Gauteng, with Zandile Majozi as his deputy.
MEC Dhlamini resigned from the National Assembly just over a year after the 2009 election, on 4 May 2010, when the IFP arranged for him to swap seats with Petros Sithole. Dhlamini was sworn into Sithole’s seat in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to “focus his full attention on the needs of Gauteng”.
He is the former Member of Social Development Portfolio Committee (Gauteng Provincial Legislature Committee) from 28th February 2022 until 28th May 2024.
He is the first candidate on the Inkatha Freedom Party Provincial Gauteng Election List 2019 (Election List) since April 23rd, 2024.
The e-Government department has been tasked with driving ICT and innovation in Gauteng. It is responsible with ensuring that the Gauteng Provincial Government takes the lead in digitizing all citizen services. MEC Dhlamini will continue to lead the department’s e-Government mandate, which is to roll out a network infrastructure that would connect government facilities such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, and economic zones via the Gauteng Provincial Network (GPN).
As the leader of the department, he is committed to creating an enabling platform and support service that allows GCR entities to deliver e-Government services effectively. This includes establishing a GCR e-Government governance structure to drive priorities, policies, standards, and regulations; promoting the usage of e-Government services; stimulating the ICT economy through facilitating incubation and innovation; and encouraging public and private partnerships for the development and roll-out of e-Government services in line with the provincial government’s mandate.
As we welcome the newly appointed MEC Dhlamini, we also look forward to the continued progress and success of our digital transformation goals under his capable leadership