Jean-Paul Van Belle
University of Cape Town, Information Systems, Faculty Member
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The SACLA conference’s primary purpose is to serve as a vehicle for the networking and exchanging of ideas between lecturers in ICT subjects at Southern African higher education institutions. The conference theme is “Transforming IS & CS... more
The SACLA conference’s primary purpose is to serve as a vehicle for the networking and exchanging of ideas between lecturers in ICT subjects at Southern African higher education institutions. The conference theme is “Transforming IS & CS Education and Research in a Changing Higher Education Environment”. A total of 28 papers were submitted for the double-blind peer review process for the full research track. All papers were reviewed by at least two (most had three) peer reviewers from a different institution than the author’s affiliation. This printed volume holds the 16 papers which were recommended for acceptance and edited taking into account the reviewer’s comments. This reflects an acceptance rate of less than 60 % reflecting the high and stringent quality of reviews. In the time-honoured and treasured sharing spirit of SACLA, considerable presentation time during the conference was also set aside for papers reporting research-in-progress, experience reports and position statem...
Even though ICT has potential of making tremendous impact in the fight against adult illiteracy, the rate of adoption of ICT as a tool for teaching literacy has not been very encouraging. Our work on the use of ICT in adult education in... more
Even though ICT has potential of making tremendous impact in the fight against adult illiteracy, the rate of adoption of ICT as a tool for teaching literacy has not been very encouraging. Our work on the use of ICT in adult education in South Africa brings to light a number of interesting causes of the low adoption rates. Among these are a number of usability factors. The findings presented in this paper have valuable relevance not only for those who design educational materials for adult literacy but also for those who package information for audiences with low literacy levels.
Information and communication technology (ICT) has been widely used in attempts to address the diverse range of socio-economic challenges in Africa. Included in these initiatives is the establishment of public access computing (PAC)... more
Information and communication technology (ICT) has been widely used in attempts to address the diverse range of socio-economic challenges in Africa. Included in these initiatives is the establishment of public access computing (PAC) venues. PAC venues are spaces where the general public has access to computers and/or the Internet and are established to address ICT access in underserved and marginalized communities. Despite the good intentions of such interventions, the success and sustainability of PAC initiatives remain a challenge. A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed to determine the common challenges faced by PAC initiatives in Africa as well as the recommendations based on PAC success stories. These challenges and recommendations are subsequently evaluated against the Access, Capacity, and Environment (ACE) framework for PAC developed by Gomez. It is shown that the recommendations for PAC in Africa do not necessarily correspond to the identified challenges. In add...
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The promise of Open Government Data (OGD) rests on the publication, availability, use and reuse of government data. This research focused on how social factors such as data ownership, network creation and power enabled or constrained the... more
The promise of Open Government Data (OGD) rests on the publication, availability, use and reuse of government data. This research focused on how social factors such as data ownership, network creation and power enabled or constrained the publication and use of OGD in Ghana, a developing country in West Africa. Ghana’s government data was expected to be both legally and technically open. However, socially constructed behavioral patterns and practices such as power, data ownership and network creation played critical roles in influencing the institutionalization of OGD in Ghana. An interpretive descriptive case study analysis helps understand how social processes influenced the institutionalization of OGD publication and use in Ghana. Giddens’ Structuration Theory was used as the main theoretical lens in this study because of its ability to investigate the dynamic interplay between social agency and social structures. Findings from the study indicated that power within Ghana’s OGD eco...
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There are many challenges for the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT). These include issues like reliability, power, connectivity, regulation, cross-border traffic, privacy, security and interoperability challenges. Much of the... more
There are many challenges for the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT). These include issues like reliability, power, connectivity, regulation, cross-border traffic, privacy, security and interoperability challenges. Much of the literature on the IoT focus on these technical and policy factors, and usually in the context of developed countries. This study explores the non-technical i.e. human factors that influence the adoption of the Internet of Things based services in informal settlements. The IoT-enabled services presented in this study are used in potentially life threatening situations with notification provided in the form of an audio warning, a light or a change in light colour as well as a text message sent to the participant's cellular phone. Some of the findings in this study concerning an individual's willingness to adopt such a service were expected. These include affordability and knowledge of the technology itself. Other core factors investigated include: whether the participant's basic needs are fulfilled before/by using the service; the level of scepticism of residents; the degree with which the technology or service affects one's level of safety and security; and whether there is a benefit to the greater community.
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Although blogging has been around for years, lifelogging and lifeblogging takes this technology and behaviour to the next level. Lifelogging is based on portable mini or even disguised devices which can capture and record everything the... more
Although blogging has been around for years, lifelogging and lifeblogging takes this technology and behaviour to the next level. Lifelogging is based on portable mini or even disguised devices which can capture and record everything the eye sees. This technology, coupled with the option of posting everything online, offers both benefits and privacy threats. Very few studies have been completed regarding this topic as it is a newly emerging technology, soon to reach South Africa. This study was therefore aimed at finding out if students were willing to accept this technology and behaviour, given both the benefits and disadvantages which it poses. A positivist stance was taken, and survey data was collected in order to test a number of hypotheses. From 232 respondents, a minority was eager to adopt this technology due to the performance and effort expectancy; however, privacy concerns play a major role in negating this decision.
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The SACLA conference's primary purpose is to serve as a vehicle for the networking and exchanging of ideas between lecturers in ICT subjects at Southern African higher education institutions. The conference theme is “Transforming IS... more
The SACLA conference's primary purpose is to serve as a vehicle for the networking and exchanging of ideas between lecturers in ICT subjects at Southern African higher education institutions. The conference theme is “Transforming IS & CS Education and Research in a Changing Higher Education Environment”.
This paper identifies and discusses potential barriers to the adoption of mobile Internet, as experienced by digitally disadvantaged users in order to gain a better insight into why this technology has not as yet diffused widely. Until... more
This paper identifies and discusses potential barriers to the adoption of mobile Internet, as experienced by digitally disadvantaged users in order to gain a better insight into why this technology has not as yet diffused widely. Until now, little quantitative data has been available to describe exactly how being digitally disadvantaged influences a person’s decision to adopt mobile Internet. This paper reports a quantitative study which surveyed almost 100 adopters and non-adopters of mobile Internet from both sides of the digital divide in Cape Town, South Africa.
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Open data readiness in government appears to be fairly low and not institutionalized. Strong regional champions are needed to demonstrate the benefits and impacts of an enduring, committed, well-resourced open data initiative. In spite of... more
Open data readiness in government appears to be fairly low and not institutionalized. Strong regional champions are needed to demonstrate the benefits and impacts of an enduring, committed, well-resourced open data initiative. In spite of this, opening up election data has had immeasurable positive impacts on the transparency and acceptance of key elections in three of the six country cases: Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Kenya. Given the humanitarian cost of violent elections, even a few open election events justifies Open Government Data (OGD) in Africa. This detailed report begins an account of open data initiatives in African countries
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In a (post-)pandemic world, digital innovation has gained relevance as an important driver of digital economies. This paper combines systematic literature review and thematic analysis to isolate enablers of and barriers to digital... more
In a (post-)pandemic world, digital innovation has gained relevance as an important driver of digital economies. This paper combines systematic literature review and thematic analysis to isolate enablers of and barriers to digital innovation success. The review draws on an initial set of 421 papers, sourced from Google Scholar and the Web of Science databases, selected by title, topic, abstract and keywords. Out of the 421, 38 papers were selected. Unique and similar factors that emerged from the review have been isolated and discussed in more detail. By understanding the enablers and barriers, digital entrepreneurship stakeholders in the Global South can embrace best practices towards creation of an enabling environment that supports successful implementation of digital innovations. Particularly, this research has potential to influence favorable policy formulation and the targeting of funding to support technology innovators to stimulate digital innovations that power digital econ...
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This papers aims to advance the discourse on how curriculum development can support the key competencies in sustainability and lead to real-world impacts. In particular, this paper explores the issues around incorporating a proxy for... more
This papers aims to advance the discourse on how curriculum development can support the key competencies in sustainability and lead to real-world impacts. In particular, this paper explores the issues around incorporating a proxy for sustainability — Carbon Footprinting — into the Information Systems undergraduate curriculum within an educational setting of problem-based and project-based learning. Embedding Green Information Systems theory and practice into the coursework of students majoring in Information Systems and Computer Science brings an interdisciplinary advantage to the ‘wicked problem’ of sustainability. The unique contribution of this paper is that it explores how reflective practice enables students to become more aware and empowered through exposure to real-world problems, such as Carbon Footprinting. The theoretical framework is based on the ‘Shu ha ri’ model proposed by Cockburn [1] as well as the Green Information Systems framework by Butler [2] and the paper aims to extend the institutional influences of Green IS to include a collaborative element. This research paper should be of interest educators at the forefront of sustainability ventures.
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The collocation of software development teams is common, specially in agile software development environments. However little is known about the impact of collocation on the team’s effectiveness. This paper explores the impact of... more
The collocation of software development teams is common, specially in agile software development environments. However little is known about the impact of collocation on the team’s effectiveness. This paper explores the impact of collocating agile software development teams on a number of team effectiveness factors. The study focused on South African software development teams and gathered data through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The key finding was that collocation has a positive impact on a number of team effectiveness factors which can be categorised under team composition, team support, team management and structure and team communication. Some of the negative impact collocation had on team effectiveness relate to the fact that team members perceived that less emphasis was placed on roles, that morale of the group was influenced by individuals, and that collocation was invasive, reduced level of privacy and increased frequency of interruptions. Overall through it i...
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Although open source software (OSS) has been widely implemented in the server environment, it is still not as widely adopted on the desktop. This chapter presents a migration model for moving from an existing proprietary desktop platform... more
Although open source software (OSS) has been widely implemented in the server environment, it is still not as widely adopted on the desktop. This chapter presents a migration model for moving from an existing proprietary desktop platform (such as MS Offi ce on an MS Windows environment) to an open source desktop such as OpenOffi ce on Linux using the Gnome graphical desktop. The model was inspired by an analysis of the critical success factors in three detailed case studies of South African OSS-on-thedesktop migrations. It provides a high-level plan for migration and is illustrated with an example. This chapter thus provides a practical guide to assist professionals or decision makers with the migration of all or some of their desktops from a proprietary platform to an OSS environment.
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This study on the use of Information Systems in support of sustainability, known as Green IS, was undertaken in the hope of adding data to the relatively scarce available research into the subject in South Africa. The research question... more
This study on the use of Information Systems in support of sustainability, known as Green IS, was undertaken in the hope of adding data to the relatively scarce available research into the subject in South Africa. The research question explored whether or not companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange used information systems to support sustainability. Data was collected from companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange for a quantitative survey through an electronic questionnaire and tested against the adoption influencers defined by an expanded version of Butler's Integrative Model of Institutional Theory of Green Information Systems. This research found that Green IS practices with a direct cost saving component were favoured. This provides a theoretical contribution of this paper as an augmented model of Green IS is proposed to include financial pressure as a driver of Green IS. In additional, this empirical study suggests support for Butler's normative driver of Green IS, as 62% of respondents expressed the view that Green practice had become the norm in their sector.
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Companies tend to promote technical experts to management positions, assuming that success in one predicts success in the other. Being a good Information Systems (IS) manager, leading and dealing with people as well as coordinating... more
Companies tend to promote technical experts to management positions, assuming that success in one predicts success in the other. Being a good Information Systems (IS) manager, leading and dealing with people as well as coordinating activities that contribute to achieve the business goals, requires not only a different set of skills than what is expected from a technical expert, but also a complete different set of attributes and values. This research used a specific competency model that is used for 360 evaluation, known as the ...
This paper argues that an ontology (or perhaps several) should be developed to standardise the semantics content of a high-level enterprise model. This model could be used as a reference for generic information systems modelling and... more
This paper argues that an ontology (or perhaps several) should be developed to standardise the semantics content of a high-level enterprise model. This model could be used as a reference for generic information systems modelling and development, most likely in the form of a library of business objects. This ontology would also serve to facilitate the communication between IT professionals and managers and/or system users.
Abstract-Cloud computing can offer an excellent value proposition to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), for whom cash flow, physical IT assets, and human resources are at a premium. However, recent industry surveys among SMMEs... more
Abstract-Cloud computing can offer an excellent value proposition to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), for whom cash flow, physical IT assets, and human resources are at a premium. However, recent industry surveys among SMMEs are not very conclusive in how its benefits and barriers are perceived and experienced by SMMEs. This study investigates the adoption and perceptions of cloud computing by SMMEs in an emerging economy, South Africa, to gain a deeper insight into two particular questions. The first is to ...
Abstract—Cloud computing can offer an excellent value proposition to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), for whom cash flow, physical IT assets, and human resources are at a premium. However, recent industry surveys among SMMEs... more
Abstract—Cloud computing can offer an excellent value proposition to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), for whom cash flow, physical IT assets, and human resources are at a premium. However, recent industry surveys among SMMEs are not very conclusive in how its benefits and barriers are perceived and experienced by SMMEs. This study investigates the adoption and perceptions of cloud computing by SMMEs in an emerging economy, South Africa, to gain a deeper insight into two particular questions. The first is to ...
Abstract: This paper investigates the readiness of the Malawian government to engage in mobile government (mgovernment). The study's importance derives from the potential of mobile technologies to leapfrog egovernment in some... more
Abstract: This paper investigates the readiness of the Malawian government to engage in mobile government (mgovernment). The study's importance derives from the potential of mobile technologies to leapfrog egovernment in some least-developed countries (LDCs) where e-government has not achieved the desired benefits due to the lack of fixed communications infrastructure and citizen access. First the paper presents an assessment of the current e-government status in Malawi. The research then used a qualitative approach ...
Although Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been recognised as a key enabler of competitive advantage for small businesses, ICT adoption has often lagged. Researchers have identified ICT adoption barriers such as a lack of... more
Although Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been recognised as a key enabler of competitive advantage for small businesses, ICT adoption has often lagged. Researchers have identified ICT adoption barriers such as a lack of awareness of available ICTs, a lack of information or access to information, and a lack of skill to adopt such technology. This research aims to go further and investigate the SME information requirements for ICT decision making in more depth. A survey measured the ...
Abstract: Software Configuration Management (SCM), also known as revision control, version control, source control or (source) code management, is the management of changes to software artifacts. An appropriate SCM is essential to... more
Abstract: Software Configuration Management (SCM), also known as revision control, version control, source control or (source) code management, is the management of changes to software artifacts. An appropriate SCM is essential to successful management and completion of large system development projects. Although the requirements for SCM in traditional development environments have been well-documents, little research has been done on the required attributes of SCM in the context of a (globally) distributed ...
Community outreach and service learning are two means for higher education institutions to aid in the development of the communities in which they operate and make graduates are more socially aware. However, this is currently not the... more
Community outreach and service learning are two means for higher education institutions to aid in the development of the communities in which they operate and make graduates are more socially aware. However, this is currently not the norm, as higher education institutions have only recently begun adopting social responsibility initiatives into their curriculums. This paper aims to critically assess the last five years of the University of Cape Town's Information Systems (IS) Honours Outreach Community Involvement ...
Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become immensely popular, both in developed and developing countries. However, the factors driving the adoption may well be different. This research used the Hofstra Social Network Site adoption model to... more
Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become immensely popular, both in developed and developing countries. However, the factors driving the adoption may well be different. This research used the Hofstra Social Network Site adoption model to evaluate the perceptions of normative pressure, critical mass, usefulness, ease of use, playfulness, trust and their impact on the adoption of SNS. Because access to personal broadband communication is a particular concern for developing countries, this was included and ...
This paper presents a critical but integrated overview of the factors that play a role in success product and service innovation respectively. The difference between service and product innovation is highlighted. The factors are drawn... more
This paper presents a critical but integrated overview of the factors that play a role in success product and service innovation respectively. The difference between service and product innovation is highlighted. The factors are drawn from a wide and diverse body of academic literature and classified into one of four categories namely strategic, organisation, market and development factors. The integrated and summarized overview of critical success factors for innovation should be of considerable importance, not only to ...
Abstract: This paper looks at three teaching strategies for a foundations information system course and evaluates their impact on actual student performance. The course used is a first year one-semester introductory under-graduate course... more
Abstract: This paper looks at three teaching strategies for a foundations information system course and evaluates their impact on actual student performance. The course used is a first year one-semester introductory under-graduate course in Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, taught by the author. In this paper, three delivery options have been evaluated: the use of computer-based training, the" mastery" method and the use of enrichment sessions. It appears as if only the adoption of the" mastery" method seems to ...
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Communication forms the basis for personal relationships but technology has changed the way people communicate. This research investigates the impact that computer-mediated communication (CMC) has had on interpersonal relationships using... more
Communication forms the basis for personal relationships but technology has changed the way people communicate. This research investigates the impact that computer-mediated communication (CMC) has had on interpersonal relationships using a combination of technology characteristics and behavioural outcomes. These factors are explored by means of a qualitative study using interview and discussion group data from student users of email, mobile phone, Instant Messaging (IM) and Internet Relay Chat ( ...
This paper investigated the adoption of Course and Learning Management Systems (C/LMS) by lecturers at the four residential universities of South Africa's Western Cape province. To explain the differences in use patterns, a dedicated... more
This paper investigated the adoption of Course and Learning Management Systems (C/LMS) by lecturers at the four residential universities of South Africa's Western Cape province. To explain the differences in use patterns, a dedicated analysis framework, ActAD, grounded in activity theory was used. Lecturer interviews pointed to important differences in views–and consequent use patterns–of E-Learning and C/LMS. The key considerations were found to be differences in perceived usefulness, perceived ease of ...
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Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is an emerging technology which has seen rapid but selective adoption in organisations of all sizes. However, there is a paucity of research in SaaS readiness and SaaS adoption in developing countries. This... more
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is an emerging technology which has seen rapid but selective adoption in organisations of all sizes. However, there is a paucity of research in SaaS readiness and SaaS adoption in developing countries. This paper reports on research into SaaS readiness and adoption in South Africa as an emerging economy. This study focuses on small to medium sized organisations, comprising both enterprises and non-profit organisations. Molla and Licker's (2005a) Perceived E-Readiness Model (PERM) is ...
Abstract. The effect of user acceptance on system use has been researched extensively in the past and many models have been developed. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is one such model that is based on the theory of reasoned actions... more
Abstract. The effect of user acceptance on system use has been researched extensively in the past and many models have been developed. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is one such model that is based on the theory of reasoned actions in the information systems field. An extension to this model, researched by Gefen and Straub in 1997 includes the effect of gender on the model variables. They found that women perceive e-mail as more useful but more difficult to use than men do. The use of e-mail was found to be the same, ...
Abstract. The Internet has fundamentally changed the banking industry in South Africa by giving people more immediate control over the management of their finances. This research investigated whether a gap exists between customer... more
Abstract. The Internet has fundamentally changed the banking industry in South Africa by giving people more immediate control over the management of their finances. This research investigated whether a gap exists between customer expectations of Internet Banking and the satisfaction of these expectations in the virtual environment by South African banking institutions. The research was operationalized by means of a survey amongst internet banking users. The research focused specifically on the way customers of Internet ...
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Abstract. This paper explores the perceived benefits and factors driving a major enterprise architecture (EA) development project. The EA was undertaken in South Africa's Electricity Distribution Industry in the context of a huge... more
Abstract. This paper explores the perceived benefits and factors driving a major enterprise architecture (EA) development project. The EA was undertaken in South Africa's Electricity Distribution Industry in the context of a huge restructuring exercise to merge more than 100 different local entities into a consolidated national structure consisting of 6 large regional distributors. A survey was conducted among the key EA decision makers of all entities involved in the proposed merger. This research confirms that most of the benefits and ...
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This paper explores the hypothesis that a consistent set of controllable factors can be identified and manipulated to ensure the success of a communal computing initiative. A qualitative analysis of various stakeholders involved in the... more
This paper explores the hypothesis that a consistent set of controllable factors can be identified and manipulated to ensure the success of a communal computing initiative. A qualitative analysis of various stakeholders involved in the Smart Cape communal computing project in the Cape Town (South Africa) is presented. Seven specific variables were drawn from literature on the subject. The intention of the research was to explore the differential effect of each of these seven variables on the usage rate of the centres. The ...
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The volume of Internet spam has reached alarming proportions. This raises interesting debates on a variety of ethical, social, legal and technical issues. Although a fair amount of spam research has been conducted in the developed world,... more
The volume of Internet spam has reached alarming proportions. This raises interesting debates on a variety of ethical, social, legal and technical issues. Although a fair amount of spam research has been conducted in the developed world, the socioeconomic context and technical infrastructure in South Africa is more typical of a developing world and many issues take on new dimensions. This research used a survey to obtain the perceptions of e-mail users on various social and ethical issues regarding spam. Information about the ...
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This research investigates the attitude of Belgian companies to outsource microwork to Africa. Microwork has the potential of alleviating high youth unemployment in Africa and simultaneously improving African digital economies. The... more
This research investigates the attitude of Belgian companies to outsource microwork to Africa. Microwork has the potential of alleviating high youth unemployment in Africa and simultaneously improving African digital economies. The purpose of this research is to find out whether overseas companies are already making use of micro job outsourcing, which platforms are used for this, which jobs are being outsourced and whether there is interest in those companies that still do not use micro work. The research also discusses the barriers that prevent companies to outsource microwork to Africa. 196 companies in Flanders (Belgium) were surveyed using a questionnaire. Five recommendations are presented, based on the perceived barriers and issues, to entice them to start or increase outsourcing micro-work to Africa.
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This paper examines how eGovernment is conceptualized and the possible relationship with the expected impacts of eGovernment in a developing world context. The aim is to shed some light on why eGovernment initiatives often fail in... more
This paper examines how eGovernment is conceptualized and the possible relationship with the expected impacts of eGovernment in a developing world context. The aim is to shed some light on why eGovernment initiatives often fail in developing world contexts. This research was based on an exhaustive survey among government agencies and consultants in Kenya. The dimension of eGovernment impacts was initially operationalized in terms of connectivity, openness, efficiency and effectiveness. Government conceptualizations could be classified under tool view, proxy view, ensemble view, computational view and nominal view. Interestingly, the empirical data yielded very different impact factors than originally envisaged, which were enhanced interactions and accessibility, enhanced cooperation and awareness, a better connected public administration and enhanced citizen opportunities. Canonical function analysis found a supply-side focus which linked connected government to the conceptualizatio...
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Organizations are now increasingly expected to address the sustainability of their information technology (IT) and communication infrastructure. This research investigates the antecedents for the adoption of Green IT in South African... more
Organizations are now increasingly expected to address the sustainability of their information technology (IT) and communication infrastructure. This research investigates the antecedents for the adoption of Green IT in South African higher education institutions (HEI), namely which drivers and readiness factors influence Green IT adoption. Green IT comprises of server virtualization, storage virtualization, storage consolidation, environment-friendly IT procurement, electronic waste management policies and measuring the environmental impact of IT. For the purpose of this research, Green IT drivers were classified into economic, ethical, response and regulatory drivers as per Molla's (2008) Green IT model. Additionally, we also investigated the role of the following Green IT readiness factors: institutional, organisational and value network Green IT. IT managers at all South Africa's HEIs were approached through an online survey. Given the small number of HEIs in South Afric...
As learning technologies advance and become more ubiquitous, particularly in e- learning, new opportunities are emerging for higher education institutions to address significant academic and administrative challenges. Driven by increasing... more
As learning technologies advance and become more ubiquitous, particularly in e- learning, new opportunities are emerging for higher education institutions to address significant academic and administrative challenges. Driven by increasing competition, changing environments and other market forces, institutions are considering learning technologies in order to thrive and remain relevant. This study gathered insights from existing literature to propose a conceptual model that supports decision making in the adoption of learning technologies by higher education institutions. The conceptual model adopts the Transformative Framework for Learning Innovation as its foundation and superimposes the Emerging Learning Technologies Model. The resulting model provides a clear guidance for higher education institution to achieve five key learning characteristics. This paper found that combining these two approaches provides a logical approach for higher education institutions to address organisat...
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Abstract There is an increasing focus on the growing disparity between the involvement of developed and developing societies in the new “information age.” ICT are often seen as being the critical link to bridge this gap (Chapman, 2002).... more
Abstract There is an increasing focus on the growing disparity between the involvement of developed and developing societies in the new “information age.” ICT are often seen as being the critical link to bridge this gap (Chapman, 2002). An ICT initiative that has been receiving increasing attention is that of the telecentre, and the related concept of the Multi-Purpose Community Centre (MPCC). The South African government is strongly promoting the diffusion of these MPCCs throughout the country, particularly in rural areas. An MPCC ...
Abstract: Apathy towards political participation is of concern for many countries throughout the world, and for many people political participation means no more than voting in an election. The South African Constitution makes several... more
Abstract: Apathy towards political participation is of concern for many countries throughout the world, and for many people political participation means no more than voting in an election. The South African Constitution makes several provisions for public participation but eGovernment solutions are not suited to the South African context, where fixed-line internet penetration is dramatically lower than that of mobile phones. Mobile phones cut across socio-economic barriers and have changed the way we communicate. They have been used to ...