| Title | Chapter 1: A South African perspective on the digital divide |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Nobert R Jere(editor) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2025.BK494.01 |
| Landing page | https://books.aosis.co.za/index.php/ob/catalog/book/494 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Nobert R Jere, Gardner Mwansa, Memory Ranga, Attlee M Gamundani & Pardon B Maoneke (eds.) Licensee: AOSIS (Pty) Ltd. The moral right of the editors and authors has been asserted. |
| Publisher | AOSIS |
| Published on | 2025-04-11 |
| Long abstract | With the emergence of new technology and other digital revolutions, technology has become the backbone of societal development and remains vital today. However, the digital divide and access to digital devices and infrastructure are a stumbling block in most communities, including South Africa, requiring interventions from governments, industry, civil societies, policymakers and the general populace. Regardless of having access to digital devices like smartphones and the Internet, users sometimes lack the necessary skills to use them. Moreover, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exacerbates some pre-existing difficulties in the digital divide in most communities. This emphasises the need to address the digital divide and enhance digital access and infrastructure to assist even during pandemics, floods or other community challenges. These difficulties are exacerbated in communities dealing with development-related resource shortages because of several circumstances, including the digital divide. Digital inequality may widen social divides or open exciting new possibilities among those in the urban and rural areas as well as those who are privileged and people with low incomes, especially in the South African context where there is a high rate of inequality. Based on the statistical evidence from current literature, the digital divide continues to exist in most African communities. This calls for countries to address the Internet access gap because the Internet is a pillar in the digital world. Internet access and usage for communities ought to be guaranteed so that communities can take advantage of its offers. In this chapter, the authors argued that everyone should have what they need (equity), and barriers that prevent equality and equity should be addressed to achieve justice to the digital divide gap. This does not, however, imply that the idea has lost all meaning. Instead, it is more of a container notion that encompasses an excessive number of meanings. Furthermore, achieving digital equity necessitates developing relevant strategies, including local languages, encouraging literacy, organising institutional and community support and providing Internet access, skills and infrastructure. |
| Print length | 18 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
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William T Vambe is a senior lecturer in Computer Science within the Department of Mathematical Sciences and Computing at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. Before this, Vambe worked at the University of Fort Hare, University of Mpumalanga, Tshwane University of Technology, Belgium iTVersity Campus and the Ministry of Education and Harvest International in Zimbabwe. Vambe is an Associate Member of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS), a member of the South African Information and Communication Technology Association, a member of the InSPiR2eS Research Network, an editorial review board member for the International Journal of Fog Computing (IJFC) and a reviewer for several international journals. He has supervised and mentored postgraduate students, published peer-reviewed papers and secured research grants. Additionally, he serves as an external examiner for several universities. Academically, Vambe holds a DPhil in Computer Science from the University of Fort Hare and was a PhD visiting fellow at the Mobile and Cloud Lab, University of Tartu, Estonia. He also holds an MA in Computer Science from the University of Fort Hare and a BSc in Computer Science from Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE). His research interests include fog computing, cloud computing, the IoT, ICT4D, data science for social impact and the 4IR. He believes that technology is useless if it does not simplify people’s lives and address their challenges.
Tanaka L Jere, at the time of this book’s writing, holds a honours degree in Sociology and Political Studies from the University of Namibia and an MA in Sociology from Nelson Mandela University. Jere volunteered for Youth Decide Zimbabwe Organisation as Secretary for Coordination and Recruitment and is passionate about youth empowerment and transformation. He has also worked as a teaching assistant at Nelson Mandela University in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. Jere co-authored two chapters on the 4IR and Decoloniality in the book, Higher education for public good perspectives in the new academic landscape in South Africa (AOSIS Books, 2022) and also co-authored some chapters in The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems (Palgrave, 2025). Jere is a correspondent who has written about various topics, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Africa’s indigenous systems and decoloniality, particularly in the context of African knowledge systems and education. He is also a fellow of the Emerging Leaders in Australia-Africa Diplomacy (ELAAD) programme. Currently, Jere is a contract lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the Society and Social Change Cluster and is pursuing a PhD in Sociology at the same institution.
Nobert R Jere is a Pan-Africanist who holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, where he serves as an associate professor. Jere is the chief editor of this book and initiated the project while at Walter Sisulu University. He has engaged and gathered a team of researchers interested in digital transformation within the African continent to contribute different chapters to this book. He is committed to implementing digital solutions that can enable African society to flourish, firmly believing that Africa is able and capable. His research centres on sustainable emerging technologies, including machine learning, information and communication technologies (ICTs), digital transformation, open data and human-computer interaction (HCI). At various stages, he served as the chair of the ICT for Sustainable Development Research Niche Area at Walter Sisulu University. He has published numerous articles in accredited journals and peer-reviewed conference proceedings, supervising over 20 postgraduate students at the PhD and MA levels. At the time of writing this book, he is a South African National Research Foundation (NRF) Y2-rated researcher. In terms of professional qualifications, Jere is a certified ISO 27001:2013 Internal Auditor, an ISO 20000-1:2018 Lead Auditor, and is TOGAF certified. He collaborates with communities, industry and researchers on various digital projects aimed at empowering and capacitating citizens. Jere has organised and chaired international and regional conferences that attract multidisciplinary researchers in the fields of ICT and HCI. He is also a peer reviewer for accredited conferences and journals and has developed a computing curriculum that is African-centric and responsive to current regional challenges.