24 April 2003
Cyber-consumers are able to choose from a host of Internet domain names, from .com to .biz and .info, but now there’s real reason to choose .co.za – it’s the only Proudly South African one.
The official administrator of the .co.za domain, Uniform SA, has been endorsed by the Proudly South African campaign. Uniform SA is a non-profit organisation which administers 120 000 registrations – and the number is growing – making .co.za the largest within the ZA name space.
Uniform SA is responsible for placing South Africa among the leaders in the Internet domain industry. Thanks to Uniform SA’s high levels of operational stability and efficient client service, the .co.za domain name is the most widely used on the African continent and one of the most influential worldwide.
Because of the technical nature of DNS’s (domain name servers), a single, capable administrator had to be appointed for each domain. Uniform SA took over the .co.za domain name registration in 1995, and since then all .co.za registrations have been registered with Uniform SA, either directly or through an internet service provider.
Although the .co.za domain name was initially earmarked for commercial entities, it is and remains the preferred choice for companies and individuals looking for a local Web presence.
Uniform SA reports that in the past seven years, .co.za registrations have increased from 400 to 121 000, leading the organisation to hope for a 10% annual growth increase, at least.
“The Proudly South African campaign will most definitely enhance and support this kind of growth by urging South Africans to buy and support local brands and services,” says Neil Dundas, legal administrator of Uniform SA.
The implications of the campaign’s endorsement are that all members are put through strict quality control standards, and Proudly South Africa and Uniform SA will work together to maintain operational stability and efficient client service to ensure growth and improved employment.
Uniform SA is accredited by the Bureau Veritas Quality International, and all its internal processes are in accordance with ISO 9001 standards.
The organisation is also involved with local development initiatives, including SchoolNet and Gauteng Online.
Source: Proudly South African
