Bridging the Digital Divide and the Impact of New Media Technologies on Development in South Africa

Abstract

Over the years, various theorists and communication researchers have written about the positive effect and contributions of ICTs to development (Stevenson, R, 1988; Van Audenhove, 1999; Nxasana, 2001; Kouakou, 2003; Nwuke, 2003; Lesame, 2005; Osunkunle, 2008) as highlighted in this Chapter. Interestingly, there is still a continuous discourse among technology users and development specialists on the role of ICTs as a tool to facilitate socio-economic development in the society. As discussed in this Chapter, the advent of information and communication technologies has led to new ways of transacting business (e-commerce), new ways of teaching and learning (e-learning), new of providing health facilities (e-health) among others. However, the availability of technological infrastructure cannot just guarantee development and economic benefits unless these facilities are used effectively. In South Africa for example, the government and the concerned private sector organizations have continuously put strategies in place to bridge the digital divide that exists between the “haves†and the “have-nots†with the aim of having an informed society that will be able to contribute effectively to national development. This is imperative considering the fact that ICTs are invaluable to the development of the communities, the citizens and the various sectors of the country’s economy as evident in the contribution of the various forms of ICTs such as telecentres and digital villages. Conclusively and as noted by Mansell (1999), the inability of underdeveloped and developing countries to acquire the capabilities for using IC