🚀 go-pugleaf

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: hurt@che.und.ac.za (Quentin Hurt)
Newsgroups: za.politics
Subject: GovAccess by Internet
Date: Wed, 18 May 1994 07:05:44 GMT
Organization: University Of Natal (Durban)

It was reported in the Weekly Mail PC Review (April 1994) that the ANC had
an e-mail address and I have tried to pursue this in the light of the
discussion here on Government Access via the Internet.  The search turned
up Tim Jenkins, who originally posted Mandela's Inauguration Address.  I
asked him about ANC electronic access and this was his response (which I
post with his permission).  I think this is an important debate but we
need to try to move it into the wider government community- not just the
ANC: especially Ben Ngubane and W. Mandela....

From: ancdip@WN.APC.ORG (tim jenkin)
Organization: WorkNet

Thanks for your note re Internet promotion.

I am all for it and will ensure that the ANC continues to put out its
press statements and policy documents on the Internet.

As for government promotion of the use of the Internet: that is another
question. I have submitted a number of proposals to our leaders urging
that they look into setting up access through the Internet, as is being
done in the States and other places. It would do the new government's
image no end of good if they were accessible through e-mail.

I have urged and will continue to urge that government publications etc
should also be available through the Internet or other electronic
services. Anyone who has had to obtain government documents knows how
difficult they are to get. Research these days is becoming almost entirely
electronic and many people prefer documents in electronic to paper form.
Here at the ANC we have gone almost entirely electronic and when someone
offers us paper documents we feel offended! It means we have to scan them
to make them useful. We encourage everyone who is providing us with
documentary information to provide it in disk format.

The problem with the Internet connection is that our leadership do not
understand such things. They have never heard of the Internet and if they
have they cannot see what benefit it could have. To them it sounds like
extra work and more problems.

However, I will continue to push for it and try to make them see the
advantages.

Our Internet connection does not have the za.politics forum so I haven't
seen any of the discussions around this issue. If you have any of the
documents I would be glad to receive them and join in the discussion.

Thanks

Tim Jenkin

--
-----------------------------
Art McGee [amcgee@netcom.com]
-----------------------------