NEMISA NEWSLETTER Edition 6 2016

8/19/2019 NEMISA NEWSLETTER Edition 6 2016

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Leve rag ing ICT in ag r ic u l ture tod e ve l o p r u ra l co m m u n i tie s

Co nta c t NEMISA

D e ve lo p i n g co m p e t e n c i e s w it h

e-skil ls

Me e t Mo l a t e l o Ma i n e tj e , fi lm m a ke ra n d e n t re p r e n e u r

e-Ski lls resea rch to in form p o l icya n d im p l e m e n t a t io n• The role of gender in influencing

and impacting on ICTuse inmarginalised communities

• Conditions for using socialmedia to engage withmarginalised communities

I n te rna t i ona l Con fe rence on Pub l icPar t ic ipat ion• e-Citizenship: a panacea for

citizen driven services?

The provinc ia l e -ski ll s Co La b s

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moving towards theIkamva National

e-Skills Institute

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e-skilling the nation

Newsletter Edition 6, 2016

Contents

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Leve rag ing ICT in ag r ic u l ture tod e ve lo p r u ra l co m m u n i ti e sCritical role players recognise theEastern Cape’s potential to improvethe livelihood of its communitiesthrough agriculture and ruraldevelopment by using ICT. Readmore on p1

D e ve lo p i n g co m p e te n c ie s w it he-skil ls

The Intel Easy Steps course wasoffered by the Limpopo CoLab, inpartnership with the Intel ‘She WillConnect’ initiative. Read more on p4

e-Ski lls resea rch to in form p o l ic ya n d i m p l e m e n t a t i o nResearch is part of the cycle ofembedding e-skills (digital skills) inSouth Africa. It informs and improvesdecision making. Read more on p7

In t e rn a t i o n a l C o n fe re n c e o nPubl ic Par t ic ipat ion

The International Conference onPublic Participation (ICPP) was heldfrom 18-19 February 2016 in Durban.Read more on p11


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Leve rag ing ICT in a g ric u l tu re t o d eve lop ru ra l co m m un i tiese-Ski l ls for agricul ture

Critical role players recognise the Eastern Cape’s (EC)potential to improve the livelihood of its communitiesthrough agriculture and rural development by using ICT.Because this needs partnership and innovative approaches,the EC CoLab: ICTfor Rural Development has beenorganising mini conferences to develop the process. Theseare hosted together with:

• Eastern Cape Socio Economic Consultative Council)(ECSECC)

• Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Centre for CommunityEngagement and Internationalisation (CE&I)

The second ‘ICTand Agriculture: Realising the DevelopmentDividend’ mini conference was held on 18 February 2016 inEast London.

C o l la b o r a t ive a p p ro a ch d e f i n e d i n t h e f i rst c o n f e re n c e The approach agreed upon in the launch seminar (March

2015) outlined three main components for the programmeto use ICTfor rural development in the agriculture sector.

These components form a continuous cycle of researchand development:

• Research: Initial (eg identifying key issues, the policyenvironment, best practices and existing resources)and ongoing research (eg monitoring andevaluation of interventions, the study of research

theses and reports, annual conference etc)• Product development: This focuses on the

development or sourcing of apps and systems,technology (eg hardware) and multi-channelcommunication tools (eg tv, radio, webinars,podcasts, videos and portals)

• Skills development: Developing or sourcing ofcourses (certificates, diplomas, degrees etc) andproviding training and learner access to training

To achieve maximum impact, these activities shouldtake place within the framework of multi-stakeholdercollaboration and aggregation.

Align ing w i th b roa db an d po l ic y – in f ras t ruc tu re ,service s and e-skil ls

This approach aligns with the Digital Opportunity pillar ofSouth Africa’s broadband policy, SA Connect. SA Connectrecognises that providing infrastructure alone will not createan e-literate society. While infrastructure and services areessential, there needs to be a demand for these. Henceone of the SA Connect pillars is called Digital Opportunity.

This focuses on creating the demand through developing anation of people that are e-skilled and e-astute.

Th e m e s o f t h e 2 0 1 6 p ro g r a m m e The 2016 conference shared some of the existing andpotential practices taking place by role players. It showedthe context in which ICTcan, should and is being used tohelp increase agricultural productivity, capacitate small

Abou t ECSECC and the i r pa r t ic i pa t ion• The mini conference partner, the EasternCape Socio Economic Consultative Council(ECSECC), hosts the Human ResourceDevelopment Council for the Eastern Cape.ECSECC has a primary concern with skillsdevelopment in support of provincial strategicpriorities.

• ECSECC also hosts the Eastern Cape ICTWorking Group, where a broad range ofstakeholders drive the province’s ICTagenda.In particular, ECSECC is supporting the Officeof the Premier in the implementation of theEastern Cape broadband master plan.

• As part of its work to support the growth of theagriculture sector in the province, ECSECC’saim at the mini conference was to generateknowledge about ICTfor agriculture and itsprospects for supporting small-holder farmers.ECSECC connects ideas with institutionalagents and facilitates partnerships forexecution.

Wha t is EC SEC C ?ECSECC is a multi-stakeholder policy research anddevelopment planning organisation. They focus onevolving new forms of development cooperationbetween government, labour, organised

business and developmental non-governmentalorganisations.

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Wha t is IC T?

ICTstands for information andcommunication technology.

Wha t is a n e -ski l l (d igi ta l ski l ls)?

An e-skill is more than knowing the basics ofhow to use a computer (computer literacy).While it’s essential to be computer literate,the important question is: what can you dowith that? An e-skill means being able to usetechnology to add benefit to your life – toactively take part in the world and moveahead.


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and emerging farmers, and encourage the participation ofwomen and youth, among other objectives. There were alsoexamples of how training in ICTand training using ICTarecritical components of this.

The mini conference was opened by Prof Khaya Mfenyana,Interim Vice-Chancellor, WSU. The conference was placedin a provincial context by the MEC for Rural Developmentand Agrarian Reform, Hon Mr Mlibo Qoboshiyane. Amongother points, the MEC highlighted the need for a provincialdatabase covering the agricultural landscape and systems(or applications) that provide real-time data of benefit tofarmers. Examples include weather reports and marketprices.

The following plenary presentations were made:• Using ICTto develop agricultural value chains

in Africa (Dr Vuyokazi Mahlati, African FinancialGroup) – This outlined the importance of valuechain development to grow and transform EasternCape, African and South African agriculture. Theuse of ICTcan be a major contributor to improvedorganisation, communication and connecting theright people. Dr Mahlati unveiled the Ivili Loboya

app which will be used to connect smallholders andprocessors in the Eastern Cape wool and cashmeresector.

• Enhancing rural ICTaccess in the Eastern Cape (Mr Ayanda Madyibi, Provincial CIO from theOffice of the Premier) – He spoke on the currentstatus of broadband roll-out in the province andrelated activities. These included establishing theProvincial Broadband Steering Committee and sub-committees. The EC e-Skills CoLab co-chairs the skillssub-committee with the Eastern Cape DevelopmentCorporation.

There were also panel discussions:

• To what extent can ICThelp increase agriculturalproductivity through providing access to knowledge,information and technology? Practical examplesfrom the Eastern Cape and beyond. Panel Chair:Mr Luthando J ack (COO of ECSECC). Panellistsincluded: Mr Johann Janse van Rensburg (CSIR), Mr

Christo Grobler (Intelligent Output Systems, an SMME)and Dr Motebang Nakin (WSU).Mr Janse van Rensburg presented a model tobridge the digital, service and trade divides. Thiswill be done by using science, engineering andtechnology (including ICT) in ways that will provide,for example, entrepreneurial and other socio-economic development opportunities for youngpeople in rural areas. Mr Grobler spoke on the useof Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags andrelated hardware and software as comprehensivetools for managing livestock, monitoring crops etc.

• What ICTtraining is needed to bridge the digitaldivide in the agricultural sector and how ICTcan beused to provide sector-related training. Panel Chair:Mr Mzoli Payi (Director WSU CE&I). Panellists included:Prof Walter Claassen (WC e-Skills CoLab), Mr LwandoRwayi (principal of the Arthur Mfebe Agricultural

Ab ou t Wa lter Sisulu Unive rsity (WSU)C e n t re f o r C o m m u n i ty En g a g e m e n t a n dIn ternat iona l isa t ion (CE&I) and the i r par t ic ipat ionAs a developmental university, WSU contributesto local and national development throughestablished programmes. These programmes have

a strong focus on mutually-beneficial communityengagements.

The CE&I Unit’s mandate is to facilitate WSU’scontribution to improving socio-economicconditions of rural and urban communities.

The CE&I Unit participated in the conference toplay a facilitating role by linking up the universitywith communities and other stakeholders. This is inorder to implement and unearth innovative ways ofusing ICTto increase productivity in the agriculturalsector and thus stimulate rural development.

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L t o R : Pr o f M f e n y a n a (In t e r im Vi c e - C h a n c e l lo r, W SU), M r Q o b o sh i ya n e ( M E C f o r Ru r a l D e v e lo p m e n t a n d A g r a r ia n Re f o r m ), c o n f e r e n c e d e l e g a t e s


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Posit ive rec ep t ion The event was for anyone with an interest in training andskills, product development and research related to usingtechnology for rural development, as well as those involvedwith agriculture. There were around 90 attendees. Of the39% that responded to the evaluation form, there was 100%agreement that the conference was worthwhile.

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Senior Secondary School) and Mr VijayMakanjee (RuLIV).Prof Van Greunen (NMMU), who could notattend, sent an audio visual presentation.Prof Claassen highlighted the need for ane-Skills Framework to organise the variousdigital skills needed for different groups ofusers. Mr Rwayi showed how computersand tablets are used in the classroom tosuccessfully introduce learners to technologyuse in the agriculture sector. For example, studentsare required to develop business plans for themarketing of crops grown on the school farm.

The way forward was presented by Ms Lorna van der Merwefrom the EC e-Skills CoLab. The conference was closed byProf Denis Jumbam, Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences, WSU.

Two m a in o u tco m es – ICT an d Agr ic u l tu rework ing g roup a nd a d ig i ta l rep os ito ry

The intention is to find ways to direct these initiatives towardsa larger effort. Two main outcomes were proposed:

• Establishing a provincial ICTand Agriculture WorkingGroup (working within the ambit of the Provincial ICT

Working Group). This will provide direction for thoselooking to start initiatives in the sector and avoidunnecessary duplication and wasted expenditure.Maximum impact will be achieved by goingforward as multi-stakeholders working together witha common goal – to leverage ICTto realise thedevelopment dividend for the EC rural communities.

• Establishing a (moderated) digital platform toserve as a repository of relevant resources andinformation. This will provide an entry point to thewealth of useful information and free research, toolsetc on the internet. It will include South African data,in particular EC data. For example, highlightingexisting agriculture-related technology and apps

(or those being designed) can steer funds for newinnovation into identified needs that are not beingaddressed.

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C o nta c t NEM ISA The National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa(NEMISA) can be contacted at the following:• in fo @ n e m isa . c o . za • 011 484 0583

• 21 Girton Road, Parktown, J ohannesburg, 2193• PO Box 545 Auckland Park, J ohannesburg, 2006

NEMISA’s head office will be moving to thefollowing address at the end of April: South

Building Waterview Corner, 2 OppenheimerAve, Bruma Lake Office Park, Bruma 2026.

In the ne ws The event was reported on by The Herald on 19February 2016 ‘MEC calls for development oftechnology to boost agriculture’ www.h e ra ld l i v e .c o . z a / m e c - c a lls- d e v e l o p m e n t - te c h n o l o g y -b o o st - a g r i c u l t u re /

L to R: Si v Hesjed a l (ECSEC C , Co nferen c e O rga n i ser a ndProg ram m e Ch a i r), Dum isa n i Son d lo (DTPS a nd NEMISA),

H o n M l ib o Q o b o sh i ya n e ( M EC , Ru r a l D e v e l o p m e n t a n d A g r a r ia nRefo rm ), Ayan d a M a d y ib i (P rov i si ona l CIO, O TP),

Dr Vuyo M a hla t i (A f ri ca n Financ ia l Group ), Lorna van d erM erw e (NEM ISA e-Sk il ls C oLab , Co nferen c e o rga n i ser )


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What d oes the c ou rse i nvo l ve? Intel Easy Steps involvesacquiring basic computer skills in word processing,

presentations, spreadsheets, email and the internet. Thenparticipants discover how these skills can be applied so asto have a positive impact on their daily lives. This includes:

• An introduction into entrepreneurship• Managing money and finances (including creating

a cash flow projection)• Creating a budget or business plan• Developing a marketing plan• Branding yourself or your business• Creating a portfolio to present to the group

Results? Following are the results from the course.

Introduction

to computersand operatingsystems

At the beginning of the course 50% of

the participants felt comfortable withfinding their way around computers andoperating systems. By the end of thecourse this had increased to 90%.

Internet andemail

At the beginning, 43% of theparticipants felt comfortable usinginternet and email. By the end, this hadincreased to 86%.

Wordprocessing

At the beginning, 43% of theparticipants felt comfortable withword processing. By the end, this hadincreased to 96%.

Spreadsheets At the beginning, 25% of the

participants felt comfortable usingspreadsheets. By the end, this hadincreased to 87%.

Multimedia At the beginning, 47% of theparticipants felt comfortable usingmultimedia. By the end, this hadincreased to 95%.

The va lue: “These young participants have been exposedto technology and the role that these tools can play in theirdaily lives and in improving their circumstances,” saysMr Scholtz.

Fol low up : A significant challenge will be access totechnology and the internet. The Limpopo e-Skills CoLabintends to follow-up to determine the impact of Intel EasySteps on the participants’ lives in the future.

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Often computer literacy courses are offered without beingcontextualised. Participants simply learn to use software

applications but not how to apply these tools in theirenvironment. Digital literacy can be defined, in part, as theability to use technology as a tool in a situation pertinent tothe user. (This is compared to defining it as achieving certainlevels in a computer literacy programme.)

The Limpopo e-Skills CoLab has been running a digitalliteracy programme that focuses on competencies neededby the participants. “In this instance, we measure whetheran individual has achieved a level of computer literacy –for functioning in a particular context – by asking what theycould do before the learning programme and then after theprogramme,” says Andrew Scholtz from the Limpopo e-SkillsCoLab. This evaluation is supported by other monitoring and

evaluation.

The Intel Ea sy Step s co urse: The Intel Easy Steps coursewas offered by the Limpopo e-Skills CoLab, in partnershipwith the Intel ‘She Will Connect’ initiative. It was conductedin November and December 2015. There were 237 youngwomen (aged between 15 and 26) who participated in theprogramme.

Deve lop ing c om p e tenc ies w ith e -sk illse-Ski l ls tra ining

Part ic ipant responses• “Basically the course has inspired me now.

As we talk, I have a plan of starting my own

business all because of the skills that I haveacquired during the course.”

• “Thanks for such great opportunity. I’mequipped and my... computer skills haveimproved. Hope this training might help otherblack woman like me.”

• “This course was the best because it has leftme very inspired and driven.”

• “I got here with the attitude that I actuallyknow everything, and then I sat for a momentrealised that my computer skills wereactually numb...thank you for the wonderfulexperience.”

• “The training made me realise my potential.

The training helped to boost my self-esteembecause of the presentations we had.”


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M e e t M o l a t e lo M a i n e t je , film m a ke r a n d e n t re p re n e u rNEM ISA a lum ni

Molatelo Mainetje is an award-winning TV producer, videodirector and documentary film maker. She is a filmmakerentrepreneur and part of NEMISA’s alumni. We find out moreabout her.

Q Tel l us a l i t t le a b out you r work?

I’m the owner of Bolobathaba Multimedia. I am alsoa board member and secretary of the DocumentaryFilmmakers’ Association of SA and I founded theBolobathaba Filmmaking Project in 2009.

Q What hap pe ned w i th you r stud ies?I grew up in rural GaModjadji, Limpopo. We didn’t haveaccess to TV and the other things that kids do these days. Inever imagined that I would be a businesswoman or be inthe broadcasting industry. In 1999, I was in my final year ofstudy at the then-named University of the North (now calledUniversity of Limpopo) when I was chosen as part of the firstNEMISA student intake. There I obtained a post-graduateDiploma in TV Production.

Q Ho w d id yo u g e t t o w h e re yo u a re n o w ?In 2003, my first business, Lilitha Multimedia, went througha business incubation process. This was part of an initiativeby the then-named Department of Communications. That’swhat instilled the spirit of entrepreneurship in me. I kept myday job and ran my business on the side.

My entry into the professional world was working as a traineevideo editor on Generations. My full-time employmenthistory has included being a local producer for theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (Africa bureau) andworking as a producer for eNews Channel Africa (eNCA).

Q W h e n d i d yo u g o o u t o n yo u r o w n ?I realised I needed to focus on my own business. So in 2013,

I resigned from my full-time job at eNCA.By then Lilitha Multimedia had dissolvedbecause of partnership challenges so Istarted Bolobathaba Multimedia. I registeredit in 2010 as the sole owner.

It’s been challenging to be on my own butvery fulfilling. As an entrepreneur, I can gofor months without an income. Making a

TV programme or a film can take years.I’ve been working on several freelancedocumentary projects, while trying to stayafloat as a business. This work involvespitching to broadcasters, looking for funding(which takes a lot of time) and taking theprojects and completed films to internationalfilm festivals and markets.

Q Te l l us ab ou t you r de ve lopm en t i n it ia t i ve , Bo lob a tha baFi lm m aking Pro jec t?I started it in 2009 at my home village. It’s a communitydevelopment initiative by my company. We train youngpeople in television and film production, as well as in acting.I used to do it during the holidays but, in 2014, I recruited a

full-time trainer, set up a production office and beefed upthe equipment.

The project was self-funded from 2009 until 2015. Then theNational Film and Video Foundation gave us funding to dofour months of training. It meant that we could be morestructured and use outside trainers.

We’re currently looking at ways to create a platform wherethe trainees can use their skills and earn an income. We’velost many good people who needed money so had to findany work they could. Some are still unemployed.

So m e c o m e d y c lip s c re a t e d b y Bo l o b a t h a b aFi lm m aking Pro jec t t ra inee s as pa r t o f t het ra in ing• Vulozwi TV Adult Class: w w w . yo u tu b e . c o m /

w a t c h ?v= t b ViA zO r d m o • Vulozwi TV Water Boys w w w . yo u tu b e . c o m /

wa tc h ? v = j y_ ik tX0 6 -0• Vulozwi TV Bold and Beautiful: w w w . y o u t u b e .

c o m / w a t c h ?v= k 2 6G F 8 siC X A • Vulozwi TV Voice of God: w w w . yo u tu b e . c o m /

wa tc h ? v = 0 tYAWKTtd C w• Vulozwi TV Child of God: w w w . yo u t u b e . c o m /

w a t c h ?v= m 2 2 c E 9 D0 j6 g


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I was just a girl from rural Limpopo and then suddenly Iwas in the world of broadcasting. I have memories of thefirst time holding a camera and my first editing lesson. Iremember asking our video editing lecturer, Eddie Mbalo:“Ke e b e t h e ? (Should I hit it?)”. This referred to his instructionto stop the knob so that there is an in-point for the edit. (Andno I didn’t hit it, I learnt to press the button.)

I met people I never thought I could and did things I neverthought possible. I remember the diversity of people in thefirst intake – from all over South Africa. NEMISA created aharmonious learning environment for us.

Today if my editor lets me down, I sit and edit myself. Ifmy camera operator doesn’t pitch, I operate the cameramyself. I write too. I can run a full production by myself,only asking help to perfect it. That’s why I can train othersbecause I’m multi-skilled. NEMISA gave me a platform tounleash my potential. It played a role, not only in my life, butin the lives of the community that raised me.

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A rt ic l e c o n t in u e d : M e e t M o l a t e lo M a i n e t je , f ilm m a ke r a n d e n t re p r e n e u r

This is what NEMISA told us on our first day, as the first intakein 2000. We should use the skills learnt at the institute not onlyto help transform the industry but also to use the platform totell our own stories and empower others. I’m doing exactlythat.

Q So yo u a l so wa n t to c rea te a te lev ision c ha nne l .Exp la in wha t ’ s ha pp en ing the re?I founded Vulozwi TV with the hope of growing it into atelevision channel. It focuses on the marginalised people of

South Africa.

A lot of work has been done on social media to ensure ithas the market base and content. The idea is that Vulozwi

TV will also be the platform that creates employment for theBolobathaba Filmmaking Project trainees. The business iscurrently in progress.

Q A d v ice f o r t h o se w h o w a n t t o g o i n t o b r o a d ca st in g ?It’s about passion, hard work, perseverance and vision. Don’tbe afraid to take risks and break from the norm. If you havea concept and believe in it, it doesn’t matter who says whator how long it takes to mature, just keep fighting for it. Modifyit, if necessary. Learn from the negatives and keep moving.

Most importantly, I’ve learnt to work on multiple projects atthe same time. While it takes effort, time and money, it alsomultiplies your chances of success.

Molate lo ’s exper ience a t NEMISAAfter university, a lot of my friends and classmates were offto the bigger cities. Without any city contacts or family tostay with, I had to go back to my village and hope for thebest. So I went home, feeling directionless.

It was early January 2000 when I received a call fromNEMISA. I was selected as one of their first student intakes.

Som e o f Mo la te lo Ma ine t je ’ s ac h ievem en ts• Winning the United National Media Peace

Award (TV News and Current Affairs category)in 2007

• She has written numerous documentaries,including ‘Rwanda: Rise Dry Bones’,‘Makhwaya’ and ‘A Helping Hand’.

• Molatelo has also produced a number offilms, starting with ‘Nnakotse’ in 2009.

• In 2013 and 2015, she was chosen to bepart of SA’s delegation of filmmakers to theInternational Documentary Film FestivalAmsterdam (IDFA) in the Netherlands.

Fa re w e l l a n d g o o d lu c k !Ms Moira Malakalaka, NEMISA Chief Financial Officer, hasmoved onto new pastures. She was at NEMISA from J une2008 to February 2016. She started as a Finance Manager.


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C a r lynn Pokpa s from the Un iversi ty o ft h e W e st e r n C a p e

e-Sk ills resea rc h to in fo rm p o l ic y a nd im p lem en ta t ionResearch on e-ski l ls

Research is part of the cycle of embedding e-skills (digital skills) in South Africa. It leads to understandinghow e-skills can be used effectively within a South African context. This informs and improves decisionmaking, as well as improving implementation. Following are two research areas that are being studied:

• The role of gender in influencing and impacting on ICTuse in marginalised communities• Conditions for using social media to engage with marginalised communities and the role of

e-inclusion intermediaries (ICTresources in disadvantaged areas)

The ro le o f g end e r in in fluenc ing a nd im pa c t ing on ICT use in m a rg ina l ised c om m un i t ies

Carlynn Pokpas (University of the Western Cape) is currentlydoing her doctoral thesis on the role of gender in influencingand impacting on ICTuse in marginalised communities.

W o me n d i sco n n e c t e d f ro m d i g i t a l re vo l u ti o nPeople need to know how to use ICTto benefit from theopportunities. This includes being able to participate socially,economically and politically. A large percentage of thepopulation remains excluded from this digital revolution.Women, in particular, form an alarming majority of thedisconnected.

Dig i ta l g end er ga p re f l ec ts ineq ua l i t iesou tside the d ig i ta l sphe re

To understand why women are disconnected in the digitalage, there is a focus on the role of gender as well as thedigital gender gap. The focus looks at various issues, fromthe differences in ICTaccess for men and women to thequality of use.

The digital gender gap reflects (and increases) the genderinequalities that exist outside the digital sphere. There arelongstanding inequalities that are often encoded intosociety as social norms. These often restrict women’s accessand meaningful use of ICT. It leads to a negative cycle

between digital exclusion, unemployment, low income andlack of education and literacy.

Em po wer ing wo m en v i ta l – espec ia l ly

f o r d e ve l o p m e n t g o a l sICTcan provide women with opportunities to improve theirquality of life. It can assist with changing the power relationsbetween men and women, tackling existing genderinequality.

Addressing a digital gender gap and empowering womenis also vital for contributing to national socio-economicdevelopment and developmental goals. Empoweredwomen can make a significant difference to the economy,society and the country.

Ca uses fo r the d ig i ta l gend er ga pAdopting ICTs is slower among low income socio-economic

groups in South Africa, particularly with more sophisticatedtechnologies. One of the main reasons is unaffordableinternet access.

While there are high levels of cellphone ownership, researchshows significant differences in the type of device and howit is used. Far more men own internet-enabled cellphonesand far more men use the internet. This is due to higherincome and education, as well as additional responsibilitiesaround unpaid housework and childcare.

The research shows that the South African digital gendergap is largely because more women are unemployedand poorly educated. (The information comes from ‘Lift ingth e v e i l o n IC T g e n d e r i n d i c a to r s i n A fr ic a ’ , Deen-swarray,Gillwald, and Morrell. 2012).


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Art ic l e co n t inued : e -Sk i ll s resea rch to i n fo rm po l ic y and imp lem en ta t ion

Wha t i s soc ia l m ed ia?

Social media means the onlinecommunications channels that allowpeople to create communities, interact,collaborate and share content. These canbe websites and internet/online applications.

What i s an i n fo rm a t ion o rkn o w le d g e so c i e ty?

It describes a society based oncreating, distributing and usinginformation and knowledge. It is asociety with an economy where the useof information and knowledge becomesone of the most significant economic

and cultural ac tivities.

N a t a s h a Ka t u n g a f ro m t h eUniversi ty o f the Wes tern C a p e

C o n d it io n s f o r u si ng so c ia l m e d ia t o e n g a g e w i t h m a r g in a li se d c o m m u n it ie s

Natasha Katunga (University of the Western Cape) isconducting her doctoral thesis research on social media,identifying the conditions needed to use these tools toengage with marginalised communities. The research willalso look at the role of e-inclusion intermediaries (ICT-basedresources in marginalised communities).

Crea t i ng a Sou th A fr ic an knowled ge -ba sed soc ie tyAs part of the digital revolution, the internet and othertechnologies are changing the way we live and work. These

technologies have an enormous impact on individuals,industries and government – they are changing the waysociety and economies work.

The aim is for South Africa to become a knowledge-based society and digital economy. The benefits includethe population knowing about their rights, the economyand opportunities. It also means that citizens can usethe knowledge, along with technology, to participateelectronically (e-participate) and to improve themselvesand their communities.

To gain these and other benefits, the population needsaccess to ICTs and the e-skills to use them. However, this isstill to become a reality for SA.

Ma rg ina l ised c om m un i t ies a re a l so d ig i ta l l ya n d so c i a ll y e xc l u d e dCommunities become marginalised for a number ofreasons, such as poverty and lack of education. Thesemarginalised communities are also digitally and socially

excluded from society. This means they cannot participatefully in a digital economy or access online governmentservices provided for their benefit.

Ma rg ina l ised c om m un i t ies no t us ing ICT resou rc es(e- inc lusion in term ed iar ies)

The only way some marginalised people can accessinternet is through organisations that provide ICTresourcesfor free or at a very low cost in their disadvantagedcommunities. Examples of these organisations include tele-centres or internet cafes. (Ms Katunga’s research refers tothese organisations as e-inclusion intermediaries.)

e-Inclusion intermediaries aim to equip community

members with engagement skills and tools to participatein the information society (and consequently uplift their

Lac k o f i n fo rm a t ion on g end er -ba sed use o f ICT There is little information on a gender-based perspectiveof ICTuse in South Africa and Africa. It’s important tounderstand how women use, understand and view ICT, aswell as to show the challenges that limit or prevent use.(Information about women in marginalised communities is

especially important.)

This research can help with the effective implementation ofstrategies and interventions that address the challenges. TheUWC research aims to contribute to this body of knowledge,with a particular focus on marginalised communities.


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ICTs effectively. This is particularly important for communitiesthat are currently marginalised. With the South Africangovernment moving to online service delivery, marginalisedcommunities need to be able to access these services.

Current practices and theories position e-inclusionintermediaries as a link between technology and people.

This includes providing digital literacy as well as other skillsaround technology (e-skills).

e-Inc lusion in term ed iar ies to re th inkco mmu n i ca t i o n s t r a t e g i e sWhile there are e-inclusion intermediaries focused onmarginalised communities, in general these have not beeneffective. Research indicates that this may be due to lackof awareness of the intermediaries and the services theyprovide. This shows us that current communication channels(used by the intermediaries) are not effective.

e-Inclusion intermediaries need to rethink theircommunication strategies. Marginalised communitiesare using social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) tocommunicate, share and access information straight fromtheir mobile devices. Thus e-inclusion intermediaries need toalso use social media to engage with community membersmore effectively.

Pub l ic sec to r soc ia l m ed ia use nee dst o b e re se a r ch e dWhile the conditions around social media use in businesshave been documented, this is not so for public sector.Furthermore, business strategies for social media are noteasily adapted for the public sector.

An expected UWC research outcome is a structured setof recommendations. These will focus on how e-inclusion

intermediaries can use social media effectively as anengagement channel to reach vulnerable people inmarginalised communities.

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Art ic l e co n t inued : e -Sk i ll s resea rc h to i n fo rm po l ic y and imp lem en ta t i on

Wha t a re e - i nc lusion i n te rme d ia r ies?e-Inclusion intermediaries are public, privateor civil society organisations that focus onsocial inclusion through ICTs or promote theuse of ICTs to enhance the socio-economicinclusion of marginalised and disadvantagedgroups and of people at risk of exclusion.Examples of e-inclusion intermediaries:• public internet access points• internet cafés

• e-centres• business centres

communities). However, people are not using the services. There are numerous reasons, including not knowing aboutthe e-inclusion intermediaries and the services they offer orwhat they can do for individuals and the community.

Using soc ia l me d ia to c rea te awa renessab ou t a va i l ab le ICT resou rce sWithin marginalised communities, mobile deviceshave become increasingly popular. These are used forengagement and accessing the internet. Social media, inparticular, is used by marginalised communities.

Some South African e-inclusion intermediaries aresuccessfully using social media to reach vulnerable peopleand promote e-inclusion initiatives. This allows them tomarket their services, provide information and – mostimportantly – engage with community members.

Other e-inclusion intermediaries also need to engageeffectively with their community members. Thus, we need tofind out how successful e-inclusion intermediaries are usingsocial media to accomplish their goals. Once the full cycleof the process is understood (strategies, tools, which socialmedia platforms etc), recommendations can be made.

Ro le o f e - i nc lusion i n te rme d ia r i es in m arg ina l isedc o m m u n i t i e sFor all South Africans to be e-literate by 2030 (as set out bythe National Development Plan), e-inclusion is essential. Thismeans that all people are included – they have access totechnology, information and the digital skills (e-skills) to use


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The International Conference on Public Participation (ICPP)was held from 18-19 February 2016 in Durban. It washosted by the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and theEthekwini Municipality in partnership with NEMISA’s KZN e-SkillsCoLab, MILE (Municipal Institute of Learning), Live Moya andEvaluations.

A u d i e n ce : The audience comprised of national, provincialand local government officials.

C o n f e r e n ce a i m s: Following are some of the aims andbenefits.

• To create a platform for critical discussion aroundimplementing public participation. This includesunderstanding the history, context, principles andapproaches to participatory democracy, as well aslooking at legal and regulatory frameworks.

• To enhance the capacity of the 200 municipalemployees currently registered as students ofthe Public Participation Training Programme atDUT. (Students prepared presentations for theconference.)

• To gain an understanding of reasons for publicservice delivery protests and how to deal with them

(within the context of people-centred developmentand good governance).

C o u n c ill o r Lo g ie N a id o o o f E th e k w i n i M u n i c i p a lit y

What is pu b l i c p a r t i c i pa t ion?As explained by the International Associationfor Public Participation, public participation isthe “collective efforts of the beneficiaries ofdevelopment (ordinary people) to organise and pooltheir social capital... to obtain grassroots objectivesthrough influencing, directing and eventually owningthe development process.”

It’s about the empowerment and participation ofordinary people. The idea is that people work withgovernment and officials to improve their situation– socially, politically, economically, politically etc.People and communities then build self relianceand capacity so they can contribute to sustainabledevelopment.

Across the world, the role of public participationis recognised as central to achieving sustainableand democratic governance. However, typicallythere is a gap between the legislative and policyframework (which is inclusive and supportive ofpublic participation) and practices on the ground.Government officials, politicians, c ivil society groups,

academics and ordinary citizens all have an interestin bridging that gap and making public participationreal.

In te rna t iona l Con fe renc e on Pub li c Pa r ti c i pa t ione-Sk il ls and pu b l i c p a r t i c i pa t ion

Pro g ra m m e : The conference was opened by CouncillorLogie Naidoo (Ethekwini Municipality) and Professor JairamReddy (Chair: DUTCouncil). This was followed by sessionsthat included the following topics. There were internationaland local academics and government officials as speakers.

• Overview of public participation: making publicparticipation real.

• South African, African and international experiencesof public participation.

• Case studies in public participation• e-Participation, leadership and service delivery

Next steps? The aim is to publish a book on publicparticipation consisting of selected papers from theconference.

Prof Ja i ra m Red d y, Cha i rp erson o f DUT C ou nc i l

D r M a lig a Re d d y, Asso c ia t e D i re c t o r o f Pu b l ic M a n a g e m e n t a t D U T


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NEMISA NEWSLETTER Edition 6 2016

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