What policy changes can be made to accelerate an information society in

Inanda?

Ayanda Siphesihle Ngcobo

210507469

Honours Degree in Public Policy, University of KwaZulu-Natal: Howard College-Campus

Research Paper 2013

Supervisor: Belinda Johnson

Abstract

Inanda is a historical township rich in history and heritage but sadly, there are still issues of development, uneducated young people. This research aims to find out the level of ICT literacy amongst the young people of Inanda, if they sufficient community information centres such as libraries that enable them to function as an information society.

The main theories that motivated this research are Grindle’s theory on policy analysis, Elmore’s model on implementation as organisational development and the bottom-up approach as the preferred approach of implementation. They all emphasise that the community is an important stakeholder in policy making and policy implementation process.

Literature indicates that an information society is well informed about development issues, ICT is the key tool for an information society and is a catalyst for local development. There has also been successful implementation of ICT initiatives in under developed areas such as Inanda.

This research will indicate that the local library cannot provide for the whole of Inanda, surveys were conducted on the young people of Inanda Newtown A which revealed that they do not use the local library. This is because there is a huge distant between area like Inanda Newtown A and Inanda Glebe and Ohlange (where the library is located) which was indicated by the librarian of Inanda-Ohlange Library. It is therefore not easy for them to visit the library on a daily basis. The library is also not big enough to cover the whole area of Inanda. Interviews were also conducted on educators of computer related studies, which indicated what kind of skills the young people are taught at school level.

CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

This research paper is based on a study that was conducted in Inanda on accelerating the

information society.There is a great need for an information society in Inanda as it is one of

the Historical Townships which still has informal settlements and low skilled individuals.

This research will look at policies that can be applicable to Inanda to implement Information

Communication Technology (ICT) for local development.

This paper will discuss the level of ICT literacy and use of local information centres amongst

the young people of Inanda Newtown A. This paper will also discuss whether the local

information centres are well equipped to accelerate the information society of Inanda, if they

are providing sufficient services. This information was gathered through conducting surveys

on the young people of Inanda Newtown A and interviews on individuals working in

information centres.

This research will take on both exploratory and descriptive approach; it will look at the

present picture of what is happening in Inanda in terms of the subject under study. It will

describe the level of ICT amongst the young people of Inanda. It will explain what about

young people of Inanda is being studied, which is the level of ICT literacy. Since there is not

much done on information society in Inanda, this research will explore the importance of an

information society and the use of ICT for Inanda as a historical township. The findings of

this study can be useful for future development projects to make the appropriate policy

changes to accelerate an information society. It will be the first to demonstrate the level of

ICT literacy in Inanda. And there is not much research on ICT and information society that

focuses on the young people in particular. This knowledge will contribute in developing

policies and making the appropriate policy changes to address this issue. This research will

describe the current level of ICT amongst the young people of Inanda which is important in

building an information society, it is important to look at the current situation, if the

population studied have the skills that an information society acquires. This research will

explore ICT, information society and the current position of Inanda in that area. Young

people are of particular interest because they still have the chance learn these skills; they are

more likely to understand technology better than the older generation. Understanding the

current situation is useful for future development

The results of this study will indicate whether the young people of Inanda are ICT literate,

consider the importance of being ICT literate, if they have access to ICT facilities. This will

be useful in determining what can be done to accelerate the information society of Inanda

through the current situation of Inanda in terms of this subject.

1.2 Definition of key terms

a) ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is an umbrella term

that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television,

cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as

well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing

and distance learning.” (Rousse; 2005). The definition of ICT may be about the use of

advanced technology but ICT is also about using these technologies to access valuable

information. An example of this may be the use of internet between the community and

policy makers to communicate on a certain policy that is in progress, the community may be

informed on the progress, what steps are to be taken and how can the community benefit

from and be part of community projects.

b) According to Rousse (2005) an information society is a society in which creation,

distribution and manifesting of information has become significant in economic and

cultural activity. An information society is the kind of society that is ICT literate which

means it can access and share information electronically. They can use the computer,

internet programmes to access information that can be able to develop them.

c) “Digital libraries are advanced forms of information systems because they often involve

collaboration support, digital document preservation, distributed database management,

hypertext, information filtering, information retrieval, instructional modules, intellectual

property rights management, multimedia information services, question answering and

reference services, resource discovery, and selective dissemination of information.” (Fox

&Marchionini; 1998, 29). Digital libraries help to preserve information, and also make it

accessible. An example of a digital library can be the UKZN libraries as they provide

information digitally, where you can search the available resources in the library

buildings digitally on the site.

d) “Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides individuals and other

companies, access to the internet and other related services such as Web site building…

An ISP has equipment and the telecommunication line access…” (Rouse; 2006).

e) “Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides individuals and other

companies, access to the internet and other related services such as Web site building…

An ISP has equipment and the telecommunication line access…” (Rouse; 2006).

f) “Local Area Networks (LANS) supplies networking capability to a group of computers

in close proximity to each other such as in an office building, a school, or a home. A

LAN is useful for sharing resources like files, printers, games or other applications.”

(Mitchell). We need LANS in community centres to accelerate an information society.

1.3 Brief Background of ICT in South Africa

South Africa is a developing country; information technology (IT) comes from the developed

world. South Africa has been exposed to the developed world but there needs to be more

work done. Literature indicates that South Africa started to adopt IT in the 1900s but

businesses and government use such information systems more effectively than South

African members of the community.

According to Lesame&Tenene (2012), South Africa had its first ISPs and dial-up internet

connectivity in 1993 and had website development with the expansion of LANS in the mid-

1990s. In 2007, government approved the building of an information society (South African

Government Gazette No. 32578, 2009:7) and according to Lesame (2012) government

approved this based on the United Nations’ World Summit on the information society which

emphasized the importance of information access, communication and infrastructure as a

foundation of development of an information society.

Looking at the historical context of ICT in South Africa, there is an indication that the

government does see the need of ICT in the country but has been slow on implementing it the

lives of ordinary citizens.

1.4 Policy Perspectives on ICT

The implementation of ICT should be guided by policies, it is important to develop such

initiatives with guidance of important policies related to the field. The local people should

also be aware of policies attached to the development projects. One will discuss the

telecommunication policy, the broadband policy and the Electronic Communication Act of

2002.

According to Lesame (2012) the Telecommunication Policy is one of government’s attempts

to provide access to telecommunication services to ensure access to ICT, promote

democratisation of society, address slow growth through public tele-centres. Telkom is a

major supplier of telecommunication services in the country, providing services such as fax-

lines. Katz (2004) argues that telecommunication has showed great progress and there are

social and economic values of this information flow and there is a need for greater

understanding of telecommunication for lawmakers, the media and the public. Neto argues

that telephones have a large impact on aggregate output. Incorporating telephones use and

computer skills is important and the telecommunication policy outlines the use of

telecommunication for accessing and sharing important information in an information society

and it can be used as guidance.

The National Broadband Policy of South Africa is about building an information society, the

sharing and availability of information thus promoting the culture of learning. The Broadband

Policy is about promoting information access, sharing of information, including the use of

digital forms of accessing information. Broadband services are accessible, fast and clarify the

roles of government, state owned enterprises and the private sector in developing Broadband

infrastructure in the country (Government Gazette, No. 33363 of 9 July 2010). It is useful for

the public to have access to information, the public is also encouraged to learn more and

share information which can develop society. This content will be used by citizens to access

and interact with government (Government Gazette No. 33363 of 9 July 2010). It can also be

useful for the people to communicate with government; service delivery can be improved so

it is useful in different areas. “Broadband policies are particularly focused on underserved

and underserved areas, Broadband may also offer benefits not fully captured in measures of

output, employment, or growth. People use broadband for a wide range of activities,

including many such as; sharing pictures with friends or downloading music that might not

fulfil a public policy goal, even though people value these activities.” (Kolko; 2010, 21). The

author outlines some of the short comes of the Broadband, which may indicate that, people

need to be guided on the efficient use of the Broadband. When implementing such policies,

people should not just be provided with the services but require proper guidance on how to

use the services, how they can make it useful for development. It is not useful to just have

something but what you do with it is the important part. However, Kolko’s (2010) overall

findings indicated that local development, including employment appeared more in areas that

adopted the Broadband policy and make use of ICT.

The Electronic Communication and Transaction Act of 2002 is one of the policies which may

guide an information society but has not been widely implemented in the country. The

objectives of this Act includes enabling and facilitating electronic communication and

transaction in the public interest for the purpose of recognising the importance of an

information society for economic and social prosperity, promote universal access primarily in

underserved areas (Government Gazette, Vol.446, No.23708; 2 August 2002). This policy

may be applied in communities such as Inanda as it can be considered as an underserved

community. It also aims to promote e-government services, electronic communication and

monitor the National e-strategy developed to determine all matters involving e-government

services, human resource development, SMMEs, promote the Republic as a preferred

provider and user of electronic transactions in the international market information

technology (Government Gazette, Vol.446, No.23708; 2 August 2002). The use of ICT

makes it easier for the country to communicate with other countries. This policy outlines

government strategies on accelerating an information society but slacking on the application

side.

In South Africa, ICT is growing but at business and government levels, it needs to grow at

community level. Policies should be implemented at community level, for them to be

effective, community members ,may also lack access to policies but through following or

incorporating ICT related policies, people will have better access to such information and

they can be practised more effectively.

1.5 Research aims

This research is aimed at finding out if the young people of Inanda have sufficient ICT

facilities and skills for them to function as an information society. In finding that out, it will

make it clear to understand what needs to be done to accelerate an information society in

Inanda. The aims of this study also includes finding out if the people of Inanda recognise the

value of ICT for local development (searching for employment, gain skills that would make

them competent, easier access to services and communication with government). The

findings of this study will be able to demonstrate the current situation of Inanda and therefore

answer the research question.

1.6 Broad Issues investigated

Broad Issue, No.1:

The first broad issue was finding out what people use computers for, how do they make use

of computer programmes. This included finding out if people knew about programmes such

as e-government. This also includes the problem of people seeing the need to being ICT

literate, how much do they know about the benefits of ICT.

Broad Issue, No.2:

The second broad issue was finding out how many people use computers (not the exact

number as the population is very wide). This entails finding out if the people have previously

received computer training, their level of computer familiarity.

Broad Issue, No. 3:

The third broad issue was looking at the main information centres of Inanda, the level of

community use and what people usually use these for. The focus area includes finding out if

people can use computers or if the centres do have sufficient computers for community use

1.7 Broad Questions

Key Question, No. 1:

Does the community know how to use computer services effectively to access important

information?

Key Question, No.2:

What is the current ICT position in Inanda, what is the level of ICT literacy?

Key Question No.3:

Are the young people of Inanda making use of local services, do they have facilities that can

enable the functioning of an information society?

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

This section will discuss previous research that has been done in this topic, their findings and

how they are related to this study. This section will also discuss the research gap, how this

study will contribute to knowledge and the reasons for choosing this topic.

In the process of constructing this literature review, one had to look at the different factors

that contribute in building an information society. One had to search for previous research

conducted on ICT and the information society, looked for the use of ICT in communities

which has socio-economic issues which are similar to Inanda and the current position of

South African government in the area of information access and electronic communications

issues. It seems like the South African government supports the development of an

information society on paper but there seems to lack on implementing projects that can

accelerate an information society. It entailed looking at journals, articles, the government

reports and policies.

One was able to come up with themes that best describe this research, which are; the

information society, ICT for development, the implementation of ICT initiatives and digital

libraries.

The Information Society

Literature seems to raise arguments that agree that an information society is essential for local

development thus pointing out the importance of ICT literacy on the local communities. The

information society can be competence in the working environment; they are ahead with

current issues and able to achieve development in a faster pace.

According to Berte& Bjornson’s research on Universal Access to an Advanced Information

Infrastructure, information access enhances society’s ability to communicate. Using this

approach makes it easier to make information available to the members of community instead

of regular meetings where certain voices over power the marginalised, certain concerns are

not addressed or brought forth. Using ICT programmes, information on community projects

can simply be available digitally and the public could contribute. Berte&Bojrnoson’s findings

show that if more people are on the internet, more people can be reached, more content is

available and computer-based communication gives more accurate information on political

matters, professional and organisational concerns. Lesame&Tenene (2012) argued that since

the majority of South African citizens don’t have university education and some are illiterate,

the government should work towards ensuring that members of the community have ICT

skills required to function in an information society and work towards achieving socio-

economic development. Having an information society in Inanda, which one can classify as a

community that is underserved, it can help people have better access to the local economy as

it seems like individuals with computer skills are more competent and it can help people

communicate more effectively with their government.

In an information society, individuals not only have access to advanced information

structures but also know how to use them effectively. An information society is essential for

Inanda to develop the people, improve their communication channels, and address issues of

service delivery, education, information access and information sharing. Using ICT

effectively is also a concern.

ICT for Local Development

There is a strong emphasis on the importance of ICT for local development; studies indicate

that ICT can accelerate local development. One would like to outline the relationship between

ICT and local development

Sharma (2007) conducted a study in India based on a local hospital on the use of ICT in poor

communities. This study mainly aimed at showing how the use of ICT has the ability to

improve public service delivery. The study indicated that before ICT was implemented for

the hospital services, people lacked communication channels; they were not aware of some of

the hospital services and did not have a good relationship with the staff members. Sharma

(2007) studied the awareness that the local people have on the services that the hospital

provides. In Sharma’s study (2007) an ICT programme was implemented but before it was

implemented people were asked about what do they think about the services and the staff of

the clinic and their responses showed that the community did not have a good relationship

with the hospital staff. After the ICT programme was implemented, the results indicated that

there was better communication, people made better use of the hospital services. This study

indicates that ICT is catalyst for local development but the local people must understand how

they can benefit from such initiatives. Sharma's study relates to this study as it indicated the

positives that came out of the implementation of ICT. Sharma focused on the local people, he

first got their views which is important and made it easier for them to accept and make use of

ICT. I would say that these people can constitute as an information society, Sharma's study

was able to show what needs to be done in order to find the appropriate policy changes to

accelerate the information society of India (around the studied hospital). Marshall argued

(2005) argued that ICT increases overall wellbeing of through community development;

promoting political accountability, improving basic service delivery and enhances local

development opportunities.

Jere (2011) conducted a study on the deployment of ICT to rural KZN communities. The

main objectives of his study were finding out how ICT was deployed in rural KZN, he looked

mainly at the infrastructure as it is important in deploying of ICT. And the study was

conducted in rural KZN. The main findings of Jere's study (2011) suggest that sustainability

of ICT initiatives is essential for deploying technology. The findings of this study also

indicated that the community did not have access to the relevant content. Jere (2011) argued

that his findings indicated the need for a bottom-up approach as it ensures that the community

members are made part of the development process thus increasing ownership of the

initiative. Advanced technology access means that people can interact with the outside

environment which encouraging the exchanging of ideas with other communities and people

can be aware on employment opportunities in the broader job market. Outside expertise may

also assist in speeding development. Jere's research is linked to my research as it was also

conducted in KZN on the same subject; it helped to find the main area that I need to focus on

when looking at ICT implementation. Inanda is a historical township which consists of under

developed areas and informal settlements, rural KZN may be similar in a sense that rural

KZN may also be under development and ICT may be used to speed up community

development projects.

Sehlapelo (2010) conducted research on the information society in Limpopo where ICT

programmes were introduced. The main objectives included looking at what was then been

done to build an information society and percentage of individuals who believe that ICT

could assist in achieving the development goals. Sehlapelo’s results (2010) indicated that

96.3% of the population believed that ICT could assist in achieving development goals but

25.9% could not identify a single ICT project and 81.5% listed the less than two projects.

There might not be enough awareness amongst the local people on the project but it is

important to note that the people do recognise the role of ICT in development and so they

will be likely to take part in ICT initiatives. It is positive feedback that people are for ICT

even though there are only a few ICT projects identified. My study looks at policy changes

that can be incorporated to accelerate an information society which is closely relate to

Sehlapelo's study as it looked at the current situation, I will also look at the current situation

at Inanda, what kind of services the local young people are exposed to.

ICT can add positive light to lives of the people of Inanda as literature shows that ICT is an

important tool in achieving development to the local people. ICT can also bring government

closer to the people; they can be able to communicate better with the government using

computer programmes.

Implementation of ICT

A policy may be good on paper but implementation is the most important part that determines

how good a policy is or how effective it is. South Africa has a number of policies that a good

on paper but there seems to be a problem with the implementation process. Inanda may be

one of the underserved areas; this may be due to lack of effective policy implementation.

In implementing an ICT project, the first problem would be that local libraries and

information centres are not well equipped for ICT programmes and the community may have

low skills and that may slow down the roll out of the programme (Greyling& Zulu; 2010).

Berte&Bjnoson argue that if the country does not get people online, social problems will

increase and government needs to support community centres such as libraries, schools and

formal community centres. As government is in support of building of an information

society, this support can be shown through developing libraries, schools and other community

centres. Greyling& Zulu (2010) also noted that a need for intensive training with repetitive

follow-up workshops and training in small groups is effective and there needs to be trained

staff with the skills to facilitate ICT development. This will also relates to the need to put a

person in the right positions, which means an individual has to have the appropriate

qualification to fill in a particular position.

Marketing a project is important to create awareness on that project amongst the public, for

individuals to take part in the project. Greyling& Zulu (2010) argue that the best way to

promote projects is through presentations to small groups and one-on-one discourse with

potential stakeholders as marketing can be time-consuming. This can help people learn about

the project, how it can benefit them and how to use facilities effectively. It is useless to plan a

project for the community without including them or creating awareness about the project.

In Kenya ICT was implemented to facilitate local development, and studies show that there

were challenges in implementing ICT as challenges may arise in any project being

implemented. In Kenya, foreign funding is the largest and government provide technical

support and also support with staff and facilities including buildings but there is lack of

policies and plans to guide investment (Gichoya; 2005). According to Gichoya (2005) for

success to be achieved there needs to be a vision and strategy, government support, external

support and donor support could be very useful. Gichoya (2005) also outlined factors that

may lead to failure of a project which are; poor infrastructure, lack of finance and skilled

personnel and the attitudes of individuals towards the project. Gichoya also proposed that

effective project coordination, management and good practice are factors that can enable a

project to be successful. This study seems to show that there are many factors that need to be

considered when implementing ICT, and there is a possibility of successful implementation if

the success factors and coordinated with the enablers. Training is important for people to

acquire the appropriate skills and individuals with the sufficient skills are important in

facilitating the implementation of a project.

A bottom-up approach can be effective for this kind of project; this approach stresses the

need for consultation with community members, policy- makers need to include community

members in decision making. If people have an input in the community project, they are more

likely to support the project and it will be more successful with the support of the community.

Gumucio-Dragon (in Jere; 2011) argues that as long as the community does not readily

accept innovation, a project may fail, and Maleka (in Jere; 2011) supports this argument by

stating that if the benefiting community is not interested in the new initiative, its

sustainability is not guaranteed. Using the bottom-up approach could ensure that the

community is part of the project; they are participating and effectively benefiting from the

project. Jere (2011) suggests that government should implements a bottom-up approach to

policy formulation and the deployment of technology initiatives thus ensuring that the

initiatives take into account the needs of the community.

There needs to be cooperation between the involved stakeholders for successful

implementation. Stakeholders may include; government, the community and technology

implementers or technology experts. The community seem to be a major stakeholder and

therefore needs to be included in implementing the project.

Digital libraries

Digital libraries are an important component for the information society and ensure effective

use of ICT. Digital libraries may also be useful at school-level education as ICT is also useful

at school-level.

Greyling& Zulu conducted a study based on libraries in an African context, where they

studied how indigenous knowledge shaped the local libraries and how ICT can change access

and sharing of indigenous knowledge through digital libraries. Greyling& Zulu argue that

libraries, in an African context have a role in growing knowledge and information and also

ensure easy access. Indigenous knowledge is also important in building a community

information centre and libraries are mostly used by young people, they can learn a lot from

indigenous knowledge. Technology needs to be incorporated in the local libraries, which is

core significant to the information society. Greyling& Zulu argue that the revolution of ICT

has presented opportunities for institutions to change. This change may be to move towards

digitalising information, making it available to a wider audience. Digitalising information

also helps in storage, information can be stored continuously, even if the physical document

is destroyed for some reason, the digital document may still be available.

The Milnerton Library is government owned as situated in the Western Cape, it has

computers, scanning facilities, it caters for school-learners, SMME’s (Small, Medium, Macro

Enterprises), and the community as a whole as a result of this community centre, many

business corners have been established (Arellona, Chigano, Moore & Van Belle). The staff is

well quipped to facilitate such services (Arellonia, Chigano, Moore & Van Belle). This is an

example of a digital library in South Africa which successfully implemented ICT

programmes.

Digital libraries can assist learners in familiarising themselves with ICT but also assist the

community with easy access to information. They can make learning easy for learners, as ICT

will not only be implemented at school but also at home. Benefits of digital libraries go

beyond school-level education but can incorporate indigenous knowledge.

Research gap

Literature focus on ICT for rural development not considering that townships may also be

underserved. And implementing ICT in townships can be less challenging than implementing

ICT in rural areas, in terms of infrastructure, in townships you may find that infrastructure

may be there but needs to be upgraded.

There is lack of research on how much people lack information on policies that can build an

information society and opportunities they can expose themselves by taking advantage of

ICT.

There is lack of ICT initiatives in historical townships such as Inanda, what ICT can do for

these communities.

Studies do not focus on how educating young people on ICT will effectively benefit the

community at large. That is important for the future of the community, in building citizens

which are knowledgeable and up to date with current issues.

Reasons for choosing topic

a) Importance of the Research

Inanda is a historical township that has a large number of uneducated young people (no

tertiary education), a population living below the poverty line and a number of informal

settlements. As a historical township, it has a range of information that can be shared

amongst the community that people can learn from, and be uplifted to improve their lives. It

is important to build an information society in Inanda not just for the learning of history and

heritage but for developing the community.

According to Marshall (2005) ICT (Information and Communication Technology) can

increase the overall wellbeing through community development, promoting political

accountability, improving the delivery for basic services and enhancing local development

opportunities. And digital libraries are widely used as information source today; they make it

easy to access information and also sharing information.

This research will find out if the young people of Inanda Newtown A are making use of local

information services, and look at policy changes that can be incorporated towards reaching

this goal of making people ICT literate. Finding the current situation will show the main

issues that need to be addressed to tackle the problem. One will also look at the institutions

that have computers such as libraries and local schools, so I will be targeting young people as

they are the future. The main focus would be on why the community need to acquire ICT

skills, where and how can they acquire these skills and also the current situation, what is the

level of ICT literacy.

This research is important in encouraging the sharing of information to develop the

community and also showing ways in which the community can also communicate better

with government. Encouraging the culture of learning, accessing information is a catalyst for

development and wellbeing of the people. It may also look at institutions of Inanda that can

be useful sources of information, which role they can play in developing the community.

This research is important for policy makers to identify the key areas that need to be address

and come up with the appropriate policy changes. The policy changes should help young

people to acquire the necessary skills to accelerate an information society and move towards

development.

b)Contribution to knowledge

As this research will explore policies that can be incorporated for the development and

expansion of an information society. It will look at local libraries and how they provide

support for an information society. It will add knowledge on policies that can develop the

community through information access and sharing of information. It will also outline the

importance of information sources that provide information to the community; these include

museums and libraries which provide trusted information.

This study is unique as it focuses on the building of an information society and the role of

digital libraries. Previous research on Inanda tends to focus on the historical and political

importance of Inanda. This study will also look at how the above mentioned topics can

develop the community and how the community with such knowledge can easily

communicate with government and acquire development.

It does not only look at the past and the present state of Inanda but also on how the future of

Inanda could be if the community is ICT literate, make use of digital libraries and are

uplifted. How being informed can develop people and be beneficial to the people and assist

government to deliver. The government can learn on what services are needed most by the

people, this can save government from coming with policies that fail.

It will show that modern forms of communication and information can still be used to

promote the culture of learning. Show that digitalising information ensures that it is not lost

but is continuously accessible.

This research will show how much young people know about the use of ICT and computers.

This is important in providing information on how much the local young people know about

ICT and the use of computers and their general understanding. This will research outline to

policy makers on issues that need to be addressed, what needs to be done to develop

communities, what kind of skills do young people need in order to increase their chances of

employment and broaden their knowledge.

c) Personal Motivation

I myself, am from Inanda, I was born and grew up in Inanda and still residing there. The

people lack access to information, they lack resources and development is at a very slow

pace. There is generally low ICT literacy in Inanda, there are perceptions that residents do not

all see the value in ICT literacy, there is a challenge in where one can find the training and

there is also a perception that ICT skills are becoming essential when applying for a job. This

makes one realise that while people are still not familiar with the use of computers, the

internet to access and share information, development is still far from Inanda. What I have

observed in my community motivated me to choose this topic that will indicate the issues that

affect the young people of my community.

This topic was chosen because I identified a problem in my community, I noticed that young

people do not have adequate skills to get secure employment. Even though they are not well

educated, being ICT literate could be the beginning and they can get exposed to other

opportunities. I assumed that young people of Inanda are not employed and empowered

because they are not ICT literate, this research will help me see if my assumptions are true

and to what extent.

CHAPTER 3: Theoretical Framework

Introduction

This section will discuss the principle theories or concepts that motivate this research, it will

discuss the main ideas behind them, what they emphasis and also how they relate to this

topic. They are; Grindle’s theory on policy analysis, Elmore’s model on policy

implementation and the bottom-up approach of implementation.

This research is motivated by Grindle’s theory on policy analysis which looks at policy

making and implementation. It is also motivated by the bottom-up approach of

implementation as it is linked to Grindle’s theory on citizen-centred policy making; this

approach proposes that implementation is to be at community level.

Grindle’s theory is based on policy making and implementation that is at community level. It

emphasises the importance of including and consulting with society in policy making. It puts

great emphasis on policy based on society issues rather than authorities making decisions on

their own. Grindle (1999) argues that policy is frequently approved without the intent of it

into practice which can cause problems or conflict. Grindle (1999) states that conflict can be

resolved through negotiation and a society-centric approach in decision making with regards

to public policies. Grindle also talks about the concept of comparative initialisation, in which

she focuses analytic attention on processes and invites a broad range of issues and questions.

According to Grindle (1999) the outcomes of comparative initialisation have the ability to

reconstruct, describe and analyse what has happened and emphasize pressure for change

located in social groups and movements rather than the state.

This research will look at ICT as an essential tool for an information society thus

supplementing projects on local development. This research focuses on the local community;

young people in particular as they are the future leaders thus investing in young people can

ensure a better future. Grindle’s theory is based on analysing the policy and its

implementation. In order to implement a policy, it is important to know how it will be of

benefit to the people, looking at Grindle’s theory I will like to find out what the people need

for an information society to be built thus making it citizen-centric as I ask the citizens

questions. Asking them questions indicates that they are important for policy changes. For a

public policy to be a success, it is important to work closely with the people. Those that will

be involved in this research are the people, to make this citizen-centric. Grindle’s theory

applies of this research as it considers the community, Grindle also emphasises the

importance of improving the policy process through consulting with society and asking their

issues into consideration. Grindle’s theory on comparative institutionalisation emphasises that

the actors involved in policy making to be social groups and movements. These social groups

are the community members; young people of Inanda may form these groups in the

implementation of ICT policies.

Elmore's model 3: Implementation as organisational development

According to Elmore (1998), all public policies are implemented by large public

organisations. Elmore (1998) outlined four models of implementation but I will discuss one

of those four models which is; Implementation as organisational development as it applies to

this research. Under this model, Elmore (1998) argues that organisations should function to

satisy the basic psychological and social needs of individuals, they should maximize

individual control, participation and commitment at all levels. In this way, policies are

designed to benefit individuals; they are to work together in order to develop the organisation

as a whole. It is therefore important that policies on accelerating an information society are

designed or implemented, needs of the young people (who are to benefit) are to be

considered. These needs can range from infrastructure to instructors that will train young

people on the effective use of ICT. ICT should be used for organisational development; in

this case the organisation is the community

A bottom-up approach can be effective for this kind of project; this approach stresses the

need for consultation with community members, policy- makers need to include community

members in decision making. If people have an input in the community project, they are more

likely to support the project and it will be more successful with the support of the community.

Gumucio-Dragon (in Jere; 2011) argues that as long as the community does not readily

accept innovation, a project may fail, and Maleka (in Jere; 2011) supports this argument by

stating that if the benefiting community is not interested in the new initiative, its

sustainability is not guaranteed. Using the bottom-up approach could ensure that the

community is part of the project; they are participating and effectively benefiting from the

project. Jere (2011) suggests that government should implements a bottom-up approach to

policy formulation and the deployment of technology initiatives thus ensuring that the

initiatives take into account the needs of the community.

This approach can instil the community’s trust in government as policy decisions are at

community level. This approach is important for communities such as Inanda to ensure

effective policy implementation.

This theoretical framework has emphasised the importance of communities in the policy

process. Communities are to have an input in the main issues that policies should address and

should be part of the implementation process for the project being implemented, to be

successful.

CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Introduction

This search will discuss the research methods that were used for this research, the sample

(interview and survey sample), why they were chosen the type of questions that they were

asked and the data collection techniques that were used.

This research made use of mixed methodology, which means, it used both qualitative and

quantitative research methodologies. This allowed one to obtain quantifiable data from the

young people of the community and in depths responses from the community service

providers.

The qualitative methodology is grounded in the interpretive social sciences, based on textual

representation of the phenomenon under study (Jennings& Gayle; 2010). This research

methodology assisted one in obtaining in-depth responses from individuals about ICT. They

were able to explain the kind of services that they provide to young people of the community,

which can be useful to get better ways or strategies on implementing ICT initiatives. It will

also be useful to demonstrate that the community does need ICT for development. This

methodology is important for obtaining in-depth information and the findings cannot be

quantified. This method was used on interviews that were based on those working for the

institutions that provide information services.

The quantitative methodology represents responses of the wider population rather than

individual perspectives which can be useful in getting quantities, so the responses of this

methodology are quantified. It is useful in getting numbers, as to for instance; how many

people support ICT in Inanda, how many people recognise the importance of ICT and

acknowledge the importance of them being ICT literate. Knowing how many people support

a particular project is useful in determining its success in the community. This method was

applied through using surveys to collect data on the young people of Inanda Newtown A.

Data Collection Methods

This research used interviews to collect data; both open-ended interviews and close-ended

interviews were used as mixed methodology was chosen.

According to Dlamini (2009), questions in a questionnaire follow a specific sequence: from

general information seeking questions to more specific information seeking questions, the

sequence keeps the respondent attentive and facilitates the smooth flow of a respondent’s

progress. In collecting data, this research followed this sequence.

Open-ended interviews allow individuals to give their perspective or knowledge on the

particular question posed to them (2013).Their responses are useful to get insight information

and are linked to qualitative methodology, which record data in a textual form. Individuals

are not given options but what they have to say about a particular issue, under investigation is

important.

Close-ended interviews are the type of interviews that are applicable for quantitative

methodology as the interviewees are given options to choose from. Data (2013) collected

from this form of interview is quantifiable, the numbers are more important than the

perspectives of individuals.

Incorporating both open-ended and close ended questions will enable data to be presented in

accordance to the both the quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Measuring of variables

The last two questions (9 & 10) in the survey can be answered if one has answered question

8, this will show if the participant has been reading the survey sheet and giving honest

responses or just ticking any option. This will indicate that the survey provides reliable

information provided by the participant. In the third question of the survey, one cannot select

the last option if they have already selected one of the other options, this will also show if the

participants are not randomly selecting options.

Selection of sample

The sample was not chosen based on gender; I do not consider gender being of importance

for this study but rather the young people being the main focus. Therefore the study is not

gender biased. However, the population of Inanda consists of black people, the study is

limited to this race and so the study is race-biased as it will not be representative of all race

groups.

Ethical issues

I have familiarised myself with the ethical issues, which means I understand that the study

should not bring harm to the participants. The participants participated willingly and were

free to withdraw at any time. I had explained that to them and asked for their consents before

proceeding to the questions. The study did not entail minors, it did not include people who

are mentally ill and followed the ethical guidelines of conducting research.

Confidentiality

The researcher understands the importance of confidentiality, the participants were not

compelled to fill in their names and personal details such as; ID numbers and physical

addresses. It is important to explain this to the research participants so that they feel

comfortable, and share the information required for the research.

The Samples

This research made use of purposive sampling technique, which is a non-probability

sampling technique. This method allows the researcher to select a target sample based on

what they know, its element and nature of research aims (2013).

The theoretical population

Survey population

The theoretical population chosen are young people between the ages of 18-30. This

population are people who are in search of jobs, they are the people that companies target

when searching for employees and they have a great potential of developing the future of

Inanda. It is important to gather data from this population as the information given by them

will assist in meeting the aims and objectives of the study. They will be the survey

population.

Interview participants

The theoretical population would be those who are responsible for providing information and

facilitating the use of ICT for the young people and equipping them to become an

information society.

The accessible population

Survey population

The accessible population was the young people of Inanda Newtown A, Inanda is a big area,

for the research to be feasible in the short period of time that one had, and I had to choose a

certain area of Inanda. This population was the most accessible population, they are living in

the same area as me, and they are young people like me. I knew where to find them; they

were also approachable and felt comfortable as were share similar characteristics. I conducted

20 surveys from this population, which means there were 20 participants, each survey had 10

questions.

Interview participants

The accessible population would be a librarian in the Inanda-Ohlange Library as it is the

main community information center for Inanda. And two teachers who teach computer

related studies, one at Inanda Seminary and another at Inanda Newtown Comprehensive High

School.

The interview sample

The interview sample were individuals from local information centres, they offer services for

the community, they would know what the people use their facilities for, and if they are

equipped to provide sufficient services for the community. From this population I conducted

three interviews, one from a teacher of computer studies at Inanda Seminary, a librarian from

Inanda-Ohlange Library and a teacher at Inanda Newtown Comprehensive High School.

Procedure:

This research made use of a purposive sampling technique which is a non-probability

technique. The samples were chosen based on the kind of information that they will be able

to produce for this study and not randomly selected. Randomly selecting individuals will not

be appropriate for this study as certain individuals will not provide useful information for the

research.

Sample 1

The surveys were face to face, I identified the appropriate age group. I had asked them to

participate in the surveys after explaining about the study and asked for their consent. I had to

go to the street corners, near the local tuck-shops, where I knew I would find them sitting in

groups. I also went to their homes, which means I also conducted door to door surveys. I had

explained the survey questions and they had to fill it in while I was there, which means I did

not drop surveys and collected them later on. None of the surveys were on-line surveys as

very few people in my community have internet access and this study is not be limited to

those who have internet access.

Sample 2

In collecting data from this sample, I went to the chosen sample group and conducted face-to-

face interviews. But before interviewing the population, one had to explain what the research

is about and as a researcher it is important to take note of the research principles, therefore

will ask for their consent. I went to the individual’s workplace and conducted the interviews

there which I felt was more convenient with the interviewees rather than asking them to come

to me. I first made appointments so that I do not come on their busiest time, and not collect

enough data for the research. I recorded the interview in an audio format but also took notes

during the interview. This ensured accuracy; the information was recorded according to what

the interviewee says.

CHAPTER 5: STUDY RESULTS

Introduction

This section will present the results of the study that is being discussed in this paper. The data

collected from surveys and the data collected from the interviews. This section will present

and analyse the data collected

Survey results

Participants:

Age

Figure 1

40%

30%

30%

Age of participants

18-2121-2525-30

Figure 1: 40% of the survey participants are between the ages 18-21, the ages 21-25 and 25-

30 were represented by 30% of the participants.

Description, Figure 2:

25%

15%45%

10%

Description

Employed/ in-ternsHigh school learnersUnemployedTertiary students

Figure 2: The majority of participants are unemployed, which may be an indication that

employment is an issue in Inanda.

Responses

Question 1: What are computers used for?

Option 1- To play games

Option 2 - Social networks

Option 3 - Applications (study / job)

Option 4-Communication with government

Figure 3

Figure 3: The pie chart indicates that the majority of the participants recognise all the uses of

computers. It indicates that the majority of the survey population understands what a

computer is. This means that they are also aware of the important functions of a computer

which are; applications and communicating with government. This indicates that the

respondents do have an idea of what computers are used for; they do know something about

the functions of acomputer.

Question 2: Do you know how to use a computer?

Option 1- Yes

30%

25%15%

10%

10%

5%5%

Question 1

all optionsoption 3 onlyoption 1 & 2option 1& 3option 3 & 4option 2 onlyoption 2, 3 & 4

Option 2- No

Figure 4

70%

30%

Question 2

YesNo

Figure 4: The majority of the respondents said they do know how to use a computer, which

is a positive response. But the real question is do they know how to effectively use computer

programs; they may know how to use the computer but do not use it to access important

information that can help them develop. This response may indicate that there is a potential in

building and accelerating an information society in Inanda since the young people are able to

use computers and know the functions of computers.

Question 3: What are the advantages of being computer literate?

Option 1- Increased access to valuable information.

Option 2- Increased chances of employment.

Option 3- Exposure to social networks.

Option 4- I cannot recognise any.

Figure 5

20%

25%

10%

40%

Question 3

Option 1Option 2Option 1 & 3Option 1, 2 & 3

Figure 5: The majority of the surveyed population chose the first three options which was

not a bad response as all these options are advantages of being computer literate. This

indicates that they understand how being computer literate can benefit an individual, they

understand that it can help one to be more knowledgeable, connect with the outside world and

also have better chances of employment. None of them chose the last option, which is great

as this indicates that they can all recognise that being computer literate is an advantage. None

of them chose the last option together with the other questions, this shows that they did read

the options; they were concentrating while filling in the surveys. The response they gave is a

true meaning of what they think and understand about the question.

Question 4: What is the internet?

Option 1- Computer- linked networks allowing access to information globally

Option 2- Network for people to communicate with friends and make new friends

Option 3- Computer network allowing access and communication to various institutions,

from educational to government institutions.

Figure 6

50%

20%

15%

10%

5%

Question 4

All optionsOption 1Option 2Option 1 & 3Option 2& 1

Figure 6: All the options that were provided are correct but the aim designing this question in

this manner is to see what the population understands about the internet. The majority of

them chose all three options which indicates that understand the functions of the internet,

they understand what the internet is and what it is used for. This indicates they understand

that the internet is useful for information access, which is a very important function of the

internet. They also recognise the internet as means of communication, I may have not asked

about ICT directly but this indicates they do have an idea of ICT. Information and

communication through the use of the internet does constitute as ICT.

Question 5: What do you use when looking for a job?

Option 1- Newspaper

Option 2- Door to door search

Option 3- Internet

Option 4- Notice boards

Figure 7

10%

20%

15%

10%20%

5%

20%

15%

Question 5

All optionsOption 2Option 3Option 1,2 & 4Option 1 & 3Options 3 & 4Options 1, 2 & 3Options 1, 3 & 4

Figure 7: The main aim of this question was to see if they do use the internet to search for

jobs or if they do consider it as means of searching for job opportunities. It seems that most

of them do consider or use the internet as means of searching for job opportunities. Even

though they still use newspapers and do door to door search, they also use the internet to

search for jobs. This indicates that the population understand how useful the internet can be.

Question 6: Do you have an e-mail address?

Option 1- Yes

Option 2- No

Figure 8

45%55%

Question 6

YesNo

Figure 8: They majority of them may have not have e-mail addresses but 45% of them do

have e-mail addresses which is not a very small percentage. This indicates that the

respondents do understand what the internet is and the uses of the internet but they may not

have sufficient internet access as they do not have e-mail addresses.

Question 7: Do you use the local libraries?

Option 1- Yes

Option 2- No

Figure 9

35%

65%

Question 7

YesNo

Figure 9: The majority of the respondents do not use the local libraries, by saying local

libraries; one is referring to the libraries within the INK (Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu) area.

This indicates that they don’t make use of the local information facilities. The interview with

the librarian may give an explanation as to why they do not use the Inanda-Ohlange local

library, which is the only local library situated in Inanda. The Tholulwazi library is marked as

an Inanda library but it is situated at Bester and KwaMashu, therefore it cannot be seen as an

information centre that provides information for the communities of Inanda.

Question 8: Which library do you use?

Option 1- Tholulwazi Library

Option 2- Ohlange-Inanda Library

Option 3- Durban Central Library

Option 4- Ntuzuma Library

Option 5- KwaMahu Library

Figure 10

10%

5%

15%

5%

5%5%

5%

45%

Question 8

Options 1& 2Option 2Option 3 Option 4Options 3, 4 & 5 Options 1& 4Options 4 & 5None

Figure 10: The majority of respondents do not use any of the listed libraries. For students it

means that they use the libraries of their instructions. It may also mean that they do not use

libraries at all, and so they are not regular users of computers and the internet which is a great

problem.

Question 9: Does it have a computer?

Option 1- Yes

Option 2- No

Figure 11

50%50%

Question 9

YesDid not answer

Figure 11: This question was not well structured, it was aimed at finding out which of the

libraries that were listed in the previous question has computers and if the local libraries have

computers. This question did not consider the fact that some people may not use any of the

libraries listed in the previous question and that they may use more than one library.

However, those who have answered the question indicated that the libraries do have

computers. This response may refer to all the libraries that were listed on the previous

question.

Question 10: Is it connected to the internet?

Option 1- Yes

Option 2- No

Figure 12

50%50%

Question 10

YesDidn’t answer

Figure 12: The same applies for this question; the results of this question do not make much

sense or are not clear due to the way the previous two questions. I would assume that the

response apply to all the libraries listed in question 8. Which is a positive response, since the

libraries have computers that are connected to the internet; they are providing facilities that

can assist in accelerating the information society in Inanda.

Interviews:

Interview 1

The first interview was with a teacher at Inanda Seminary, this is a private boarding school

situated at an area of Inanda that is very close to Inanda Glebe and the northern parts of

Inanda Newtown A. The interviewee is a librarian and teaches Information Communication

Technology. He had has been teaching in the school for 11 years which makes suitable for

the research. The interviewee had told me, based on research (a few years ago), it was

discovered that most of the students come from KwaMashu but there is a lot from Inanda. He

explained that it came to them as a surprise but explained that this may be because most of

the people around Inanda cannot afford the fees.

Condition of interview

The interview was conducted at the Inanda Seminary’s library, in the afternoon at 3pm. This

is the time when the students do their sports and it is compulsory for every learner to

participate in sports, which meant that the library had no learners. The interview was

therefore not disturbed by any of the students. The condition was very productive, I also had

enough time to ask any questions, the interviewee was not rushing anywhere and was willing

to provide any information I asked for. I had asked for an interview in advance and he was

ready for when I arrived. The interview was a success but for further research, the quality of

questions can be improved.

Information obtained from interview

The interviewee was able to provide valuable information regarding the issue that is being

discussed in this paper. This information is important to find out what need to be done to

accelerate an information society. The information he provided can help government schools

and libraries with the appropriate strategies to accelerate an information society.

The interviewee had explained to me that the school does allow the community to do their

research; mostly students from Mqaweh High School come for information. They are allowed

to borrow books but they are not allowed to use the computers. They only use them on

National Science Week which is once a year. There have been discussions on creating

partnership with the school as it is a few minutes away from Inanda Seminary, which may

enable Inanda Seminary to teach learners of Mqaweh High School computer lessons but

nothing has been finalised. He also stated that the school opened a new computer lab and the

old computers were taken out but they are still in good conditions. He thinks it would be a

good idea if they could be donated to the Inanda-Ohlange Library or the local church, which

is up the road from Inanda Seminary, and the church could have a computer centre. He then

explains there would need to be a trained facilitator to ensure that people are getting

computer skills.

The interviewee explained to me that, when the grade 8 learners come to their first lesson, he

asks how many have used computers before and how much they know about computers. He

explains that, most of them had used computers before and had them at home. But the

problem is they use them to play games and use unimportant features on the computers that

will not help them develop and function in an information society. He said, “They do not do

real things on the computers”. He explained that it is important for the learners to acquire the

skills that are being offered at Inanda Seminary as they are able to go home and use these

skills outside the school. They are able to help their parents use computers effectively; they

can then use ICT skills to help the wide community. He also stated that the learners love the

ICT class; they look very excited when coming to the lessons and always have something to

do for the whole lesson.

The interviewee stated that being exposed to ICT can change the way an individual thinks, it

can change the way one looks at things. He further stated that the students realise they can go

beyond and are not limited by anything. He said, “When the students look at buildings from

pictures on the internet from places oversees, they go wow and realise that anything is

possible, they realise that there needs to be more work done in South Africa and some of

them may immediately say they would like to be architects so that they can build such

structures for South Africa”. He says that the students are motivated to dream big and think

outside their world.

The interviewee explains that personal motivation of the instructor is very important, the

instructor should be enthusiastic and ready to learn as technology advances every time. The

instructor must also share that with their students that we are all learning daily and allow

them to explore, and raise interest with the students and empower them to go the extra mile.

He also explains that cooperation between the students is very important; it helps the learning

process go on a faster pace. He explains that when students hand in typed work, it make is

easier for the teacher to mark the work and spends less time trying to figure out the

handwriting of each student, it also improves the spelling.

The information that was gathered from the interview is important for government

institutions to get ways in which they can improve their services. Government can also get an

indication on how ICT is important for young people and what kind of future leader can be

produced if young people are provided with the appropriate facilities. This interview shows a

successful ICT implementation at high school level, other learning institutions can be

motivated to adopt the same policies. From my perspective, continued collaboration between

the local schools and community centres is important for the development and future of

Inanda.

Interview 2

The second interview was with a librarian at Inanda-Ohlange Library, which is located at

Inanda, opposite Ohlange Institute, a high school and a heritage site. This is the main

information centre of Inanda and the only community library in Inanda. The interviewee has

been working at the library for only 4 months, the senior librarian refused to do the interview

so had to interview him, even though he is new he can provide valuable information as he is a

local.

Condition of interview

It had been very difficult to get hold of the librarians at Inanda-Ohlange library. I then decide

to go a Saturday as it closes early, when I arrive the library was packed and had one librarian

so decided to wait for it to close (it closes at 12pm) but staff members are to leave at 1pm.

The interview first called the senior librarian and he told me he did not have time. The

interviewee finally agreed. There was not enough time, he also seemed to be in a rush but he

was able to give valuable responses.

Information obtained from interview

The information obtained in this interview is important in finding out if Inanda has sufficient

information services, if the local library can really accommodate the whole of Inanda. The

information obtained in this interview will indicate why Inanda may need another library or a

computer centre that accommodate areas such as Inanda Newtown and Inanda Glebe.

The interviewee explained that the library users come from all over Inanda but most of them

come from Ohlange, Matikwe which are the closest places and that very few come from

Inanda Newtown and Inanda Glebe. He said that is because those areas a very far and it is not

easy to find transport that comes straight to the library, one may have to take to taxis or walk

a long distant to get a taxi to the library. He explained that he feels the library is well

equipped for an information society but cannot provide services of the whole Inanda as

Inanda is a very big area. He feels that Inanda needs another information centre.

The interviewee stated that the library users used both the internet and books for their

research. He stated that about 40% use the computers, it may not be the majority of the

library users but it is a big percentage, which indicates that there are many individuals who

are computer literate. Those who use computers also do school assignment but the internet is

mostly used for social networks. He also explained that some people are not even sure on

what exactly they want when searching for information and people must be able to refine

their research.

The interviewee explained that the computer users may ask him for assistance, and there are

not instructors. As we were walking out the library, I noticed the INK Digital Hub and asked

him to tell me about it. He explained that it is a computer training centre, people take

computer courses and pay a certain fee, and it is for the whole area of INK. The centre looked

very small for providing training for the whole INK area and it is locate in Ohlange which is

not a centre for INK. When I mentioned that to him, he explained that they are part of the

Inanda Heritage Route which makes the area very important and tourism development has

positive impacts on the community. Therefore people from other areas of INK are not aware

of it and it is not easy for them to come to Ohlange on a daily basis. I think it was a good idea

but the communities need more digital hubs.

Based on the information obtained in this interview, Ohlange has good facilities that can be

useful to accelerate an information society. There are many people who are benefiting from

the library and the digital hub. However, other parts of Inanda are not benefiting from these

facilities; they are also not big enough to accommodate the whole of Inanda.

Interview 3

The third interview was conducted on a teacher of Inanda Newtown Comprehensive High

School, which is a public school located in Inanda Newtown C. The interviewee teaches

Computer Applications Technology and has been teaching it since 2008. The purpose of

interviewing him was to find out what kind of computer skill do learners acquire at public

schools and the difficulties that these schools have in this subject. That will be able to explain

if the community facilities provided are sufficient to accelerate an information society.

Condition of interview

The interviewee had asked me to choose a suitable place for the interview and I chose the

school which was convenient for him. The interviewee was willing to be of assistance for the

information I needed for the research. The environment was appropriate and had enough time

to conduct the interview and obtain valuable information.

Information obtained from the interview

The information obtained from this interview explains the issues that the community may

people faced with. It may provide a few ideas that can be used to make policy changes to

accelerate an information society in Inanda.

The interviewee had explained that the skills that they are being taught in this subject can be

applicable in any area of study. He explained that it is very important but people are

ignorance and don’t know about the importance of it and some believe that it doesn’t count

should one wish to go to university. The problem would be that they do not have internet

access.

The interviewee emphasised the importance of early development of computer subjects and

that they should be continuous. He explained that funds are the major problems, they may get

donations but sometimes donations may not be sustainable for such subjects. He explained

that maintenance is a big issue and operational costs and schools cannot afford it. He told me

that a school around the area has two computer labs but the subject was phased out and the

teacher left so there isn’t anyone to teach the subject. The computers went to waste.

The interviewee stated that partnerships are important, local schools can come together and

businesses can intervene. There should be trained individuals to facilitate ICT projects. He

believes that ICT is a catalyst for development but there should be partnerships for it to be

successful. He also stated that people need to be directed to career-oriented objectives with

regards to the use of ICT rather than social networks. He also explains that regular access is

important, libraries should have enough computer facilities to facilitate ICT and more

libraries are needed.

CHAPTER SIX: DATA ANALYSIS

This section will analyse the data, explain how the key research questions were answered

based on the findings of the study. This section will discuss the overall results of the study,

i.e. surveys and all interviews that were conducted. It will also discuss what improvements

can be made for future research.

Does the community know how to use computer services effectively to access important

information?

Based on the information obtained through interviews and surveys, the community is aware

of the importance of computer services. They do understand to a certain extent that computer

programs are important. They are important for increasing chances and accessing important

information. They may seem to understand the advantages of being computer literate.

However, only a small portion of Inanda has access to computers and only a small portion

uses computers to access important information. The others may identify the importance of

being computer literate but the issue might be accessibility. Inanda Seminary seems to be the

only school in Inanda that is well developed for ICT. Inanda Newtown Comprehensive High

School offers a computer subject but does not have internet access which means limits the

kind of schools they acquire. The community cannot effectively use computer services

because they do not have sufficient facilities.

What is the current ICT position in Inanda, what is the level of ICT literacy?

This question was not well answered, the survey question were not well structured or suitable

provide the appropriate answer for this question. The interviewee for the third interview

explained that ICT is already there but is mainly used for social networks and needs to be

directed to career related objectives. The main issue is that ICT needs instructors to assist

people to use ICT effectively for local development. The young people of Inanda are exposed

to ICT but to a certain extent. The young people need ICT centres with motivated

infrastructure to increase the level of ICT literacy.

Are the young people of Inanda making use of local services, do they have facilities that

can enable the functioning of an information society?

The data collected from this study indicate that only those who live around the information

centre make use of it. Usually those who live in other parts of Inanda do not use them

because they live far and there are transport issues. They may also not be aware of the kind of

services that are provided. Another issue is that the local library does not have trained

computer instructors and may not know how to use computers. The local school does have

qualified teacher but the issue is internet access which makes them limited. The facilities are

limited; they are not well equipped to accelerate an information society.

Improvements for future research

The survey questions were not well structured, they need did not effectively answer the key

research questions. The questions did not ask the survey population why they do not use the

local information services. The survey did not ask the population if they have computers at

home. The survey did not ask the population if they have smartphones and if so, what do they

use their smartphones for. Future research would need to ask these questions to improve the

quality of research. However the data collected was able to give a picture of the current

situation of Inanda in terms of information access and the available facilities that provide

information. Further research would also look at other areas of Inanda, and not restrict the

survey population to Inanda Newtown A, areas like Inanda Glebe; Inanda Newtown B could

also be included as they are also far from the Inanda-Ohlange Library.

The interviews were more successful than the surveys; they were able to provide more useful

information. However, improvements can also be made; the interview population may also

need to include the instructor of the INK Digital Hub (which I was not aware of before

conducting this research) and other information centres. The interview population may have

also included other public schools which had phased out computer studies and discuss why

those dissisions were taken.

This research has showed that this area of study should be explored more, it has a potential

for facilitating development. People need to be made aware of the importance of ICT and

information society.

CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMONDATIONS

There is a certain degree of ICT literacy in Inanda, the young people do have an

understanding on the internet and the use of computers. Findings indicate that the young

people do see the importance of being computer literature, the use of the internet effectively.

There are issues of access to ICT facilities, the young people do not have enough facilities to

assist them in functioning as an information society.

Previous studies indicated that ICT is a catalyst for local development, and therefore an

information society is essential to speed up development. It is important to include the

community members who are to benefit from the development thus the information obtained

from the young people can be beneficial to understand what kind of development is need by

the people. The information obtained was able to show that the young people of Inanda need

ICT development, as they recognise the importance of computer programs they would

appreciate such developments. Policy makers should be aware of the problems that were

brought forth by the information service providers (teachers and librarian). They should also

adopt some of the strategies used by successful ICT implementation like the Inanda Seminary

curriculum. Such curriculums are needed in government institutions that provide services for

the community.

Inanda does have a potential for growing an information society as the community is aware

of ICT but needs infrastructure and the right individuals for direction.

Recommendations

Inanda needs an integrated approach, where schools work together to assist each other

for computer training.

Inanda needs another library that will expand into a computer centre where

individuals don’t just have computers with internet access but trained instructors that

will teach them to use the computers and internet.

People need to be taught on the use of their smartphones, they can use them for

research, make use of the important features and not just focus on social networks.

It is important for information service providers to be motivated and willing to serve

the community.

Young people should keep themselves updated on community development projects

such as the INK Digital Hub, take advantage of such opportunities.

It is important for computer related projects to be continuous, so that they are

effective.

Bibliography

⦁References: Primary sources:

Government Gazett, Vol. 446, No. 23708; 2 August 2002. The Electronic Transaction Act 2002. Cape Town

Government Gazette, No. 333363, 9 July 2010. The Department of Communication. Policies and Policy Directions drafted in terms of the section 3(1) of Electronic Communication Act ( Act No.36 of 2005) : The National Broadband Policy for South Africa.

References: Relevant unpublished research (dissertations / theses):

Dlamini, S.C (2009). Assessing the integration of information communication technology (ICT) in the public sector. University of KwaZulu-Natal

Jere (2011).Deployment of ICT to rural KZN communities. University of KwaZulu-Natal

Sehlapelo, M.C.A.M (2010). The challenges of building an information society in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. University of KwaZulu-Natal

⦁References: Relevant published research:

Arellano, N, Chigona, W, Moore, J & Van Belle, J. ICT-Based communication development initiatives in South Africa.University of Cape Town.www.commerce.uct.ac.za [24/02/2013]

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Fox, E.A &Marchionini, G (1998).Towards a worldwide digital library. Communication of the ACM, Vol.36, No. 1

Gichaya, D (2005). Factors affecting the successful implementation projects in government. The electronic journal of e-government, Vol. 3, Issue 4, pp. 175-184

Greyling, E & Zulu, S (2010).Content development in an indigenous digital library : A case study in community participation. Parker, S (Ed.) IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations & Institutions), Vol.36, No. 1

Grindle, M.S (1999). In Quest of the Political: The Political Economy of Development Policy Making. CID Working Paper, no. 17

Jennings & Gayle (2010).Tourism Research, Chapter 1: The role of research in tourism. Thilton, Australia

Katz, (2004).Why is telecommunications policy important?http://www.mackina.org/6763 [01/03/2013]

Kolko, J (2010). Does Broadband boost local economic development? Public Policy Institute of California

Lesame, N.C (2012). Chapter 7: Electronic government: meaning, models and application. Chapter 12: New Media: present and future policy perspectives.Lesame, N.C, Mbatha, B &Sindane, S (Eds.).New media in the infromation society. Van Schaik Publishers

Lesame, N.C (2012). Chapter 3: The internet and the information society. Lesame, N.C, Mbatha, B &Sindane, S (Eds.).New media in the information society. Van Schaik Publishers

Marshall, S (2005). Facilitating the use of ICT for community development through collaborative partnership between universities, government and communities. International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT, Vol. 1, No. 1

Mitchelle.http://computerworking.about.com/cs/lanvlanwan/g/de_lan.htm [02/03/2013]

Neto, C.S.P. Development theory and foundations of universal access policies. Journal of Law and Policy, Vol. 2:2

Research Methodology in a Policy Context (PPOL 701/ 801)- Seminar Reading Pack (2013). Chapter 8: Sampling. Juta& Co Ltd.

Research Methodology in a Public Policy Context (PPOL 701/ 801)- Seminar Reading Pack (2013). Chapter 7: The Logic of Sampling

Research Methodology in a Policy Context (PPOL 701/ 801)- Seminar Reading Pack (2013). Research Design, Chapter 5: Conceptualization and Measurement.

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Sharma, G (2007). Making use of ICT to facilitate poor people's access to public services: An action research programme. Published in Information Development 23, 1, pp.15-23

APPENDICES

Survey on accelerating an information society in Inanda

1. What are computers used for?

To play games

Social networks

Applications(job/ study)

Communicate with government

2. Do you know how to use a computer?

Yes

No

3. What are the advantages of being computer literate?

Increased access to valuable information

Increased chances of employment

Exposure to social networks

I cannot recognise any

4. What is the internet?

Computer- linked networks allowing access to information globally

Network for people to communicate with friends and make new friends

Computer network allowing access and communication to various

institutions, from educational to government institutions

5. What do you use when looking for a job?

Newspaper

Door to door search

Internet

Notice boards

6. Do you have an e-mail address?

Yes

No

7. Do you use the local libraries?

Yes

No

8. Which library do you use?

Tholulwazi Library

Ohlange

Durban Central

Ntuzuma Library

KwaMashu Library

9. Does it have a computer?

Yes

No

10. Is it connected to the internet?

Yes

No

Interview transcripts

Interview 1

Name of interviewee: Mr. Alimango

Name of interviewer: Ayanda Ngcobo

Date: 23 May 2013

Place: Inanda Seminary Library

Interviewer: Hi Sir, I would first like to thank you for giving me your time to ask you

questions for my research.

Interviewee: It is my utmost pleasure to be a part of your research project.

Interviewer: How long have you been working here?

Interviewee: I started working here in 2002. I came here to teach French, Maths, Technology

and Information Technology, which is now Information Communication Technology.

Interviewer: What kind of computer skills do you teach?

Interviewee: We teach them Software, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft

Publisher, Microsoft PowerPoint. They are also taught typing skills; they also acquire

researching skills as they are exposed to the search engines. We also encourage them to write

their own work instead of copying and pasting from the internet by making them do

summaries, they summaries chunks of work. In that way we avoid laziness and they learn to

do their own work.

Interviewer: How useful are these skills, for when they finish high school?

Interviewee: They learn about plagiarism from grade 9, which is important for the academic

environment. They learn typing skills, which will be useful for when they get employed and

they learn professionalism. They usually e-mail their work, whether it is on PowerPoint or

Microsoft Word, so already they use technological means of communication.

Interviewer: How big are your classes?

Interviewee: Average of 25 students per class and each student has their own computer; the

class has 36 computers, so there are extra computers. If one computer has problems, the

student can use another one and they don't miss the lesson.

Interviewer: What difficulties do you face in the lessons?

Interviewee: It terms of performances, in the lower grades, some students are slow and may

tend to hold back the other students. They slow down the process for I have to go check how

far they have gone with their work, check if they are on the right track. Some students go to

the internet and use it for unnecessary purposes. Downloading things, like music illegally.

Interviewer: What measure can be taking to address difficulties that you face?

Interviewee: There is an IT policy that every parent must sign before their child can be able

to use the computer. For students that misbehave, I tell them to leave the class and their miss

the lesson. That works because the students love the ICT class. It is important to monitor the

students to make sure that they use the internet effectively.

Interviewer: How often do the students use the internet and what do they use it for?

Interviewee: Not often, they use it mostly for research. When a teacher gives them a research

assignment, the teacher first surfs for the appropriate site and gives it to the students. In that

way the use the relevant source rather than just using everything they come across.

Interviewer: Are the facilities only for Inanda Seminary students or students from other

schools are also them?

Interviewee: Yes, they are only for Inanda Seminary students. The community is allowed to

use newspapers and borrow books. But on National Science Week, students from

surroundings schools are allowed to use the computers and are taught how to use them and

that's the only time that they are allowed to use the computers.

Interviewer: What improvements can you pick up, in terms of computer skills, from the

students who are in matric compared to when they were in grade 8?

Interviewee: In the junior phase they are very slow, some of them get really confused and

don't know what to do. In the senior phase they are familiar with e-mailing and typing

assignment, and the internet. In the senior phase, they are also introduced to blogs.

Interviewer: From your own perspective, how important is ICT?

Interviewee: ICT is very important; it can be a catalyst for development. What I have also

picked up from the students is that, when they go home, they are able to teach their parents

what they have learned. They may have computers at home but there are certain things that

they don’t know how to use, after being exposed to the different computer functions they are

able to pass on the skills that they learn at school.

Interviewer: What do you think can be done to familiarize young people of Inanda with ICT?

Interviewee: Umh...That's a very difficult question. We need a good policy for helping

surrounding schools. There have been discussions on helping students of Mqaweh High

School with computer skills but that has not been finalized. We recently built a new computer

lab and had new computers. The old computers are not being used, we could maybe donate it

to Ohlange which is a community library or donated to another school in Inanda. They can

expand it into a computer centre or there could be a computer centre in the local church

which is not far from here. The computer centers need to be monitored, there should be

computer technicians. People need to be trained on the effective ways of using computer

programmes. There should be facilitated for effective ICT implementation.

Interview 2

Name of interviewee: Muzi Ximba

Name of interviewer: Ayanda Ngcobo

Date: 4 June 2013

Place: Inanda-Ohlange Library

Interviewer: How long have you been working here?

Interviewee: 4 months

Interviewer: Is the library for Ohlange High School or the whole community?

Interviewee: The whole community of Inanda.

Interviewer: Which area of Inada, do most library users come from?

Interviewee: They come from all over Inanda but mostly Ohlange and Matikwe, we hardly

get people from Inanda Newtown and Inanda Glebe.

Interviewer: Why don’t the people of Inanda Newtown and Inanda Glebe use the library?

Interviewee: I guess it is because it is very far, you cannot find transport that directly takes

them here. It is not easy for them to come here on a daily basis; they need a library that is

much closer to them.

Interviewer: Would you say that the library is not well equipped to accelerate an information

society in Inanda?

Interviewee: Well, the library is equipped; it just that it is not big enough, it cannot

accommodate the whole Inanda as Inanda is a very big area. It may need to be expanded or

another library may be built in the other parts of Inanda.

Interviewer: What do most library users use for research?

Interviewee: They use both books and the internet but mostly books.

Interviewer: How many of them own library cards?

Interviewee: About 60%.

Interviewer: How many computers do you have?

Interviewee: 10 but only 6 are used by the community.

Interviewer: How many people a day use computers?

Interviewee: A lot, on a typical day, about 59 people use computers.

Interviewer: What do they use the computers for?

Interviewee: Social networks, research for assignments and also for typing CVs and

assignments. But mostly, the computers are used for social networks.

Interviewer: Would you say that the majority of the library users are aware of ICT?

Interviewee: I would say 40% of them are.

Interviewer: What difficulties do you face, with regards to providing information for the

people?

Interviewee: People do not know how to access information; they don’t know where to look.

For example, someone who is doing research on technology may come and ask for an L.O

book and you give them and then they tell you it’s not what they are looking for.

Interviewer: What do you think should be done to address these issues?

Interviewee: People need to be able to refine their search, they must be more specific on what

they want.

Interviewer: Do you think that computer training workshops or instructors are needed to

facilitate the use of computers?

Interviewee: Yes, I do, they can help but I don’t think many people would come. People want

us to do stuff for them, not show them how things are done.

Interview 3

Interviewee: Asiinwe Mwamwenda

Interviewer: Ayanda Ngcobo

Date: 6 June 2013

Place: Inanda Newtown Comprehensive High School

Interviewer: How long have you been teaching computer studies?

Interviewee: Since 2008.

Interviewer: Which area of Inanda, do most students come from?

Interviewee: They come from all over Inanda actually but obviously the majority come from

Bhambayi (Inanda Newtown C), as they are much closer to the school.

Interviewer: How big are you classes?

Interviewee: My classes on average have 28 students per class.

Interviewer: How many computers do you have?

Interviewee: 30 on the dot.

Interviewer: How many times a week do the students have computer lessons?

Interviewee: We work on an 8 day cycle, it goes from day 1 to day 8 then to day 1 again, on

that cycle they are supposed to see me once a week

Interviewer: What kind of skills do the students learn?

Interviewee: Problem solving, word processing, data bases, web design, research

methodology, advanced formula. This subject is a basis for others, no subject at school level

teaches research methodology, it can be applied to any area of study.

Interviewer: How do these skills be of benefit to them for when they finish school?

Interviewee: For research methodology, it is very useful for when they get to university, they

learn how to reference and no other subject offers that, they also learn about plagiarism. It is

a huge plus for when they finish school. Word processing can be applied to any area of study.

Interviewer: Are the computers connected to the internet?

Interviewee: No, they are not

Interviewer: What would you say are the major difficulties that you are faced with, with

regarding to ensuring that the students receive adequate skills that will be useful for when

they leave school?

Interviewee: The problem is they start Computer Applications Technology at grade 10, they

don’t have a background. For most subjects when you come to grade 10, you already have a

background of it but for computers, you don’t which makes it difficult. Funds are also a

problem, in terms of maintenance, you may get donations but they are not always sustainable.

Interviewee: What do you think can be done to address the difficulties?

Interviewee: Computers should be introduced early; they should be part of the curriculum at

the early grades and should be continuous. And funds, school cannot afford to provide

computer studies.

Interviewer: Would you say that ICT can be a catalyst for development?

Interviewee: A huge catalyst, some of the skills I teach in grade 12, you find that other

schools teach those skills in 9. ICT should be something that is used and accessible all the

time.

Interviewer: What would you say needs to be done to accelerate the information society in

Inanda, what are the major community needs?

Interviewee: A lot is happening, a lot is already there. Such as access to smartphones, it just

needs to be pushed more into career-oriented objectives rather than social networks. There

should be more libraries and there must be regular access. Exposure is key, it should be

introduced as early as possible, it must also be continuous, it must be everywhere. You find

that adults can’t even type CVs. Infrastructure is also important, it’s a great need.