The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism will, over the next two weeks, open a call for nonprofit organisations (NPOs) to submit proposals to run an interactive community access network centre, in Elsies River, in Cape Town.

The Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town, which were in the process of establishing the R2.8-million digital access centre, stipulated that the successful NPO operator would be required to bring Elsies River residents on board to assist with the management of the facility.

Finance, Economic Development and Tourism Minister Alan Winde said in a statement on Tuesday that the pilot project, which was part of the Western Cape government's R1.3-billion broadband plan, would boast WiFi hotspots, meeting rooms, video-conference facilities, training workshops, study rooms and sound-proof recording booths.

“The centre will consist of open spaces for learning, innovation and knowledge production. It will be a space for the entire community,” he explained.

“Local entrepreneurs can come and grow their business ideas, learners will have a study resource space and residents will be able to further their [information and communications technology] training.”

Winde pointed to the social entrepreneurship model as key to the centre’s success, noting that the model would see government partner with local entrepreneurs to establish and maintain public facilities.

“This model ensures that business opportunities are created for local emerging small, medium-sized and microenterprises,” he said.

The centre would be located at the Elsies River multipurpose centre, which would be significantly refurbished over the next few months.

The centre was funded by the Western Cape government in partnership with the City of Cape Town, which provided the site and would manage the installation of the infrastructure and equipment.