International hardware vendor Acer and Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa’s Premier football Club, together with business partners Microsoft South Africa, Torque IT have jointly established a pilot Chiefs Cyber Centre at the Kaizer Chiefs Village in Naturena with a view to establishing more around South Africa.

The project is expected to provide a base for online micro e-businesses.

“In keeping with our mission statement, we aim towards unlocking the full potential of individuals in a scientific and professional manner, both on the field and through education, to attain standards of distinction and thereby contribute to the well being of South Africa” said Kaizer Motaung, MD of Kaizer Chiefs at the official launch.

A little over a year ago Kaizer Chiefs and Acer signed a partnership deal to make technology available to club fans around the country.

"We are over the moon with this new development and with the sound partnership we have with Acer. The relationship is now tangible and can make a difference in many people’s lives.”

Acer is providing state-of-the-art equipment, including workstations, servers, storage and networking solutions to ensure that each Cyber Centre is equipped with task specific hardware.

“Information Technology offers many exciting career opportunities in itself and is a major tool for other career requirements,” says Peter Ibbotson, Chairman, Acer Africa.

“Knowledge is power, power builds confidence,with confidence one is able to perform -performance is the measurement by which we are all judged.

"To impart the power of Acer, a global brand to local economies, we must create a competitive environment of entrepreneurs who transfer skills to others, thereby empowering a nation”.

Microsoft South Africa will be sponsoring copies of Microsoft Office XP Professional, licenses and copies of Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite and Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, over R49 000 worth of software.

“At Microsoft we have learned that one of the greatest things we can provide is the tools and resources that help others realise their potential and enable them to embrace the opportunities they face everyday,“ says Gina Wessie, community investment manager at Microsoft South Africa.

“By making technology more accessible to as many individuals as possible through initiatives such as the Chiefs Cyber Centres, we hope to make a real difference to peoples’ lives and empower South Africans.”

Torque IT will be handling the training of the patrons of the Cyber Centres. Training is to be run by Microsoft Certified instructors.

"The initial phase will see training being provided for the Kaizer Chiefs Head Officeconsisting of both the players and staff," says Luvuyo Lubobo, sales director, Torque-IT.

"Students will be given courseware, which they can keep, and the training will follow a series of logical steps using the courseware as a reference.

"Torque-IT will offer a series of courses designed to bring the students up to a high level of proficiency with basic computer skills, including navigation, operating systems, word processors, spreadsheets, e-mail and the Internet."

Lubobo says that the concept of the Cyber Centres, linked to a brand as well known and respected as Kaizer Chiefs, is guaranteed to create an interest and excitement about the world of technology.