WCG eCentre brings opportunity to New Horizons

Plettenberg Bay, originally known as Bahia Formosa (Beautiful Bay), has a rich history that dates back over 100,000 years. The earliest inhabitants were Middle Stone Age humans, followed by the ancestors of the Khoisan. These early residents likely traded with Portuguese explorers who found themselves marooned in the bay for nine months after their boat sank in June 1630.

In the 18th century, the Swede Carl Peter Thunberg documented valuable observations about the bay and Robberg. In 1779, the Governor of the Cape, Baron Joachim van Plettenberg, renamed the town Plettenberg Bay. Situated on the scenic Garden Route about 600km from Cape Town, Plettenberg Bay saw its first European settlers more than a century later, primarily farmers, hunters, and frontiersmen. By 1787, the Dutch East India Company had commissioned a storehouse to support the burgeoning timber trade.

The 1960s brought the harsh realities of Apartheid to Plettenberg Bay, with residents of colour being forcibly relocated to the outskirts of the town into informal settlements like New Horizons, Bossiesgif, and Qolweni. New Horizons, opened in 1968, lacked infrastructure and proper sanitation, highlighting the systemic inequalities of the time. As with many small communities, employment is always one of the biggest challenges.  Most of the residents at New Horizons work as domestic workers, carpenters, bricklayers, cashiers, and merchandisers. The eCentre plays a crucial role in helping jobseekers gather necessary materials to pursue employment opportunities, both locally and online.

The New Horizons WCG eCentre, one of the newest eCentres in the Western Cape, is situated at the Central Library in Plettenberg Bay. This centre forms part of our initiative to provide residents with easy and free access to information and communication technology (ICT). The eCentre's mission is to facilitate effective communication between local people, the government, and communities around the world by offering access to email, the internet, and various government services.

The eCentre conducts accredited training and offers free printing services. It assists users with tasks they find difficult to navigate alone, such as PSIRA renewals for security personnel, SD for business people, and SARS e-filing registration. The centre sees over 50 visitors on a good day, demonstrating its importance as a community hub.

Services:

• Free Internet Access
• Email Access and assistance to create emails
• Online Job searches and applications
• Online University Applications
• Free Printing of maximum 10 pages per day
• Basic Informal Computer Course Training
• E-learner Online Computer Course Training
• International Computer Digital Literacy (ICDL) Computer Course Training

Contact the eCentre:

Email: newhorizons.ecenter@gmail.com

Address:

Saringa Road
Central Library
New Horizons
Plettenberg Bay
6606

Operating Hours:

Mondays - Thursdays - 09:00-17:00
Fridays - 9:00-16:00
Saturdays - 9:00 - 12:00