The use of Mobile Phones by SMMEs in a Developing Economy: The Case in South Africa

SMMEs are seen as an important avenue for promoting the economic development in South Africa. With the high prevalence of mobile phones in the country, these devices are seen as a means of leapfrogging the typical technological development path and providing SMMEs with the benefits of mobility and Internet access. A nationwide survey was conducted amongst SMMEs in South Africa to gain an understanding of: their characteristics including the demographics of the owner/manager and characteristics of the business, the use of mobile phones in the business, the relevant skills of the SMMEs’ owner/managers, their means of Internet access, and their business operations challenges. The main findings indicated that despite relatively high levels of education, and despite strong uptake of mobile phones, their usage was very basic and the true benefits of mobile telephony and Internet access were not being realized by the SMMEs. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made to address the situation

Les déterminants de la diffusion d'Internet en Afrique

Fast progress in information and communication technologies (ICT) involved the emergence of a new society : the information society. This society which appears within aframework of globalisation implies for all the nations a structural adjustment agenda.Thisadjustment must imperatively take place in the countries of the South, and particularly inAfrica, under penalty of exclusion of the world information society. Among these ICT, Internetseems to be the technology which conveys most hopes for the South. Many international andnational actors in the development process implement projects able to fill the existing delay ofAfrica in the field of Internet. This paper purpose is to examine the determinants of Internetpenetration in Africa, in order to appreciate policies implemented for the development of thistechnology in Africa. Some relations, on which are implicitly based development policies of ICTare highlighted. Most of these relations are significant. They show the importance of skills,urbanisation, wealth, economic activity, foreign relations, telecommunication infrastructures,computers, costs of Internet access and Internet supply in the Internet penetration in Africa.At last, two models are built. They both especially highlight the main role of telecommunicationinfrastructures whose development is the major concern of international co-operation. (Full textin French)

‘We are connected, but constrained’:Internet inequality and the challenges of millennials in Africa as actors in innovation

One of the biggest news stories in the past decade has been the increasing impact of the internet and information technology on young people, from first-generation mission countries in North America and Western Europe to the global south—particularly in Africa. This advancement has fueled the growth of a “connected” and “plugged in” cohort of young people known as millennials, who are utilizing this medium to improve their social status and create potential for economic and professional growth. However, while the Internet has created opportunities for growth and development on the continent, many online platforms and services continue to restrict full access to certain parts of the global south. Hence, in some African countries, for example, opportunities for scaling innovation and development can be very difficult to access. Consequently, as our daily activities sync with technology, concerns over access to the Internet economy and the undue restrictions over internet services persist. Using the storytelling research methodology, this paper seeks to highlight why geo-restrictions and regional lockouts over internet-related services seem to be a major challenge for millennials in Africa, who are actors in innovation by virtue of their contribution to the growth of the internet technology. We argue that this enforced regional lockout not only deflates the productivity and creativity of African millennials, but also points to a functionalist view of internet inequality constituted through the "divides" of accessibility, censored participation, and acceptability in the internet economy. Understanding the staggering nature of this problem would require telling the stories of young internet entrepreneurs and innovators in Africa, who continue to be marginalized while investing and contributing to the internet economy

Preparing South Africa for Information Society 'E-Services': The Significance of the VANS Sector

New Value-Added Network Services (VANS) provide the foundation for the wide variety of applications (e-commerce, e-government, e-education, etc.,) that will make-up the e-economy in new information societies. Internet services are only a part of the VANS sector. The development of VANS is influenced primarily by three factors – technological improvements, government policies/ regulations, and the market structure of the VANS sector. South Africa has announced clear information society policies, but has not yet implemented them. Although the national fixed telecom network has experienced declining coverage in recent years, for those connected, the network is fully digitalised and makes increasing use of Internet Protocol. Technologically, South Africa is well prepared to be a leader in VANS development. However, its policy and regulation arena has been a site of continuous conflict and indecision, which has resulted in VANS development being restricted rather than promoted by government policy. Telkom’s aggressive activity in attempting to maximise its service exclusivities has restricted VANS development even further. Telkom’s exclusivity period under the government’s “managed liberalisation” policy ended 7 May 2002. If South Africa is to see its information society and e-economy policies implemented, it will have to establish, and implement through strong regulation, a commitment to promoting an innovative VANS sector. The forthcoming convergence legislation provides an opportunity to do so

Influential Article Review - The Challenges of Inequality and Millennial Internet Access in Africa

This paper examines inequality. We present insights from a highly influential paper. Here are the highlights from this paper: One of the biggest news stories in the past decade has been the increasing impact of the internet and information technology on young people, from first-generation mission countries in North America and Western Europe to the global south—particularly in Africa. This advancement has fueled the growth of a “connected” and “plugged in” cohort of young people known as millennials, who are utilizing this medium to improve their social status and create potential for economic and professional growth. However, while the Internet has created opportunities for growth and development on the continent, many online platforms and services continue to restrict full access to certain parts of the global south. Hence, in some African countries, for example, opportunities for scaling innovation and development can be exceedingly difficult to access. Consequently, as our daily activities sync with technology, concerns over access to the Internet economy and the undue restrictions over internet services persist. Using the storytelling research methodology, this paper seeks to highlight why geo-restrictions and regional lockouts over internet-related services seem to be a major challenge for millennials in Africa, who are actors in innovation by virtue of their contribution to the growth of the internet technology. We argue that this enforced regional lockout not only deflates the productivity and creativity of African millennials, but also points to a functionalist view of internet inequality constituted through the "divides" of accessibility, censored participation, and acceptability in the internet economy. Understanding the staggering nature of this problem would require telling the stories of young internet entrepreneurs and innovators in Africa, who continue to be marginalized while investing and contributing to the internet economy. For our overseas readers, we then present the insights from this paper in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German

Internet banking adoption decisions and e-service quality of rural customers

Published ThesisWorldwide, banks are embracing information technology because of the rapid development in this field. In South Africa, banks have continued to supplement traditional over-the-counter banking with online banking in line with this global trend. Owing to factors unique to developing countries, however, internet banking adoption has not been as rapid as was expected. In particular, Internet banking adoption in rural areas remains problematic, and it is difficult to determine how rural customers are experiencing the quality of internet banking services. The purpose of the study was, therefore, to explore internet banking characteristics and factors influencing internet banking adoption and its relationship with the e-service quality, with specific reference to banking customers residing in rural areas of South Africa. The research study was conducted in positivist paradigm and was quantitative in nature. A survey design was used and self-administered questionnaires were distributed to banking customers residing in a rural area of South Africa. The final sample consisted of 390 banking customers who are using internet banking or who have knowledge of internet banking. The questionnaires were distributed personally by the researcher with the assistance of trained field workers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that dimensions of innovation characteristics such compatibility, trialability and observability had moderate scores, but relative advantage and complexity had low scores. The results also showed that various factors influencing internet banking adoption, such as convenience, prior knowledge and usage, security, perceived risk and information, had low scores. The following dimensions of e-service quality received low scores, namely efficiency, system availability, fulfilment, privacy, loyalty intention and perceived value. It was only the contact dimension of e-service quality that was perceived positively. The Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation results indicated a medium and positive correlation between e-Service Quality and Innovation Characteristics, and a small, significant correlation was found between e-Service Quality and Factors Influencing Internet Banking Adoption. In view of the dearth of literature on internet banking in South Africa, the implications of this study are that the rate of internet banking adoption in rural areas should be accelerated. This study could provide useful assistance for retail banks to develop appropriate strategies to increase the internet banking adoption rate of rural customers

Information and communication technology policy imperatives for rural women empowerment : focus on South Africa

Abstract: It has been established that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are key drivers for rural development. However, while many countries such as India and South Africa have made significant investments in rural ICT infrastructure and its developmental spin-offs, rural women are still neglected when it comes to access to ICTs. This neglect is evident in the ICT policy initiatives in South Africa as an example, where the relevant policies lack any significant or direct attention to rural women’s development. If ICT policies do not address the gendered digital divide in rural areas gender inequality will be encouraged. This paper gives insights on how information exchange by means of ICTs such as Internet, mobile phones and radio could foster economic growth and empowerment of rural women in South Africa. In addition, the paper discusses the role of relevant stakeholders in ICT policy formulation for more effective and appropriate communication, and innovative ways of using ICTs for women empowerment in rural areas. The authors make recommendations for ICT policy development that would better serve the needs of rural women leading to their empowerment

The experience of Internet freedom among African users

This article examines African Internet users’ experience of online freedom to assess levels of trust and mistrust of the Internet in Africa. Internet users’ perception of the protection or denial of their rights online—such as freedom of expression, privacy, and safety and security—in selected African countries is examined here as an outcome of constraining or enabling Internet policy and regulatory frameworks. Demand-side survey data collected via nationally representative ICT access and use surveys in 2017 is analyzed within the context of the Internet ecosystem as it plays out at the national level in three sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. Findings are contextualized within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the role that the Internet plays in contributing to the growth of a country when relevant policies are formulated in a way that addresses users’ needs while safeguarding their rights

Facilitating Public Participation in the Eastern Cape Province: A Case Study of the Centre for Governance in Africa

Decreasing amounts of public participation threaten to undermine the legitimacy of democracy in South Africa. Numerous surveys, academic resources and Internet and print media indicate general trends among the citizenry that a disconnection and dissatisfaction towards government is prevalent. As a result, the South African public has extremely low levels of public participation for a nation with such a politically charged past. It has become the objective of many civil society organizations to help with the delivery of vital developmental goals, including democracy advocacy, on behalf of the citizens. This paper seeks to examine the efforts of a single NGO, the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) through its Centre for Governance in Africa (CGA) programme, in facilitating public participation. The CGA runs programmes in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, a region identified in numerous reports as having low levels of infrastructure and public participation. The organization engages with local partners to develop a variety of methods that encourage public participation amongst civil society organizations. These include the development of a reference toolkit for civil society organizations and the facilitation of public hearings. These steps are taken to provide the capacity and means for individuals and organizations to engage with formal government structures. The research for this paper revolves around a practicum completed with the CGA during three weeks. I used a variety of research methods, including interviews with CGA staff members, independent research on public participation in South Africa and Internet and print media sources. The conclusions section of this piece contextualizes CGA programmes within the broader scope of public participation. It is concluded that the CGA’s efforts in the Eastern Cape are still in the midst of development. There are various obstacles to be addressed to facilitate public participation, including that of logistics and capacity-building. By adopting the middle ground and creating new solutions to identified problems, the CGA programme appears to be effective in linking civil society to government structures

Contextualizing South Africa’s participation in the SITES 2006 module

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) initiated the Second International Technology in Education Study (SITES 2006) — a large-scale comparative survey on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in schools. The goal was to understand the pedagogical use of ICTs in schools in 22 education systems. We aim to contextualize South Africa’s participation in SITES 2006 on four levels: (i) the nature and structure of the South African education system, (ii) a review of South Africa’s participation in SITES 2006, (iii) ICT infrastructure, facilities and equipment, and (iv) teachers’ use of ICTs for teaching and learning. SITES 2006 administered three questionnaires to school principals, technology coordinators, and mathematics and science teachers. The final sample consisted of 666 mathematics and 622 science teachers. Although most education systems collected data via the internet, South Africa was the only country that used only a paper-and-pencil data collection strategy with an average return rate of 90%. South Africa scored low on most variables, e.g. ICT infrastructure, facilities, and equipment. A large percentage of South African teachers reported their ICT incompetence. South Africa’s inability to cross the boundaries of traditional learning towards the development of 21st century teaching and learning skills inhibits social and economic growth for the development of human capital.Keywords: developing context; e-Education; ICT in education; large-scale study; mathematics education; science education; SITES 2006; South Africa