POE Q1 : Consequences of digital divide in South Africa

CONSEQUENCES OF DIGITAL DIVIDE IN SOUTH AFRICA


Technology is changing at a rapid rate.
Given the rapid change in computer hardware power, and the introduction of new technologies, access, to data and information is critical.


The consequences of digital divide in South Africa is associated with socio-economic factors like the gap between rural and urban areas. It is also associated with demographic factors since South Africa is a developing country.
Many people in most rural areas are not digitally literate and as a result cannot access the internet, not because they do not want to, but because they are not able to.
Children from model C schools in rural areas struggle to use the computer mainly because their schools do not have Computer lessons.


As a result children from those schools struggle to adapt to the changing usage of technology.
They might even struggle to use a computer at work because of the lack of knowledge.
That will cause in the end limitation to the kind of job they can apply to actually do.



THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN INFRASTRUCTURE


Developed countries have a greater penetration of appropriate and up-to-date infrastructure than that of developing countries. Due to infrastructure restrictions, coupled with socio-economic factors, people in townships and rural areas utilise their mobile phones as a point of access to the internet.