The impact of digital divide has on the democracy and South African government.
This assignment will define the terms Digital Divide, E-Democracy, and E-Government. It will also look at the impact of the digital divide on the democracy and government of South Africa.
Digital divide describes the act that the world can be divided into people who do and people who don’t have access to and capability to use modern divide exists between those in cities and those in rural areas. The digital divide also exists between economic classes and globally between the more and less industrially developed nations.
E-Democracy is a term that exists with a wide range of reactions. It is the use of information and communications technologies and strategies by ‘‘democratic sectors" within the political process of local communities’ states/regions nations and the global stage. The democratic sectors include the following democratic sectors:
Governments
Elected officials
Media (and major online political)
Political parties and interest groups
E-Government is a term which has recently been significant in our country emerged as a must of being a modern society and to increase efficiency in that manner it means the realization of mutual duties and responsibilities between people who govern and those who are governed in the "digital space". However it seems that the concept of e-government that we defined in a general manner is discussed in various places where different aspects of it are emphasized.
The impact of digital divide on democracy and the government of South Africa.
South African government has taken steps to address the digital divide. In order for these efforts to improve, the paper recommends that Government need to provide more training to the ordinary citizens on how to use these ICTS facilities to access e-governance service. They also need to address the issue of human capital by ensuring that competent staffs are appointed to develop and maintain e-governance service. They must engage with the industry in order to improve telecoms infrastructure. They also need to assist its citizens with access to affordable interest services so that these people should be able to use more of e-governance services. And they also need to allocate more funding on e-governance projects.
The E-Government and digital divide are essentially interrelated. With the increasing populations and the consequent need for the government services by the public, information technology (IT) is an essential tool used to distribute and present services to people with ease, thereby boosting productivity and efficiency. However, the information technology in the government won’t have any significance if those who are intended to benefit from it have limited access to the service or are not able to utilize the service. The first consideration for implementation of E-Government is making al public offices computerized so as to enable them build a capacity for efficient service delivery and yield better governance catalyzed by technology. The second aspect to consider is the availability of citizen centric services by using the digital media. This may include establishing interactive government portals.
Some think the use of internet would lead to a healthier democracy in one way or the other. Among the most ambitious visions are those of increased public participation in elections and decisions making processes. (http://m.articlebase.com).
The chairperson of National Council of Provinces of South Africa, Mninwa Mahlangu indicated that parliaments as part of their law-making functions must ensure that they work for t6he interest of the people they represent. That, according to him, can be best done through the efficient utilization of ICT services. He lamented that in Africa a lot of peoples are not using ICT because of various infrastructural difficulties that need to be addressed and looked into. (http://m.bizcommunity.com)
According to president of the pan-African Parliament, Dr. Moussa Idriss Ndele, Technological advances have led to changes in the political, economic, and cultural sphere in both the advanced and developing worlds. Democratic divide concerns the potential impact of the world digital world on the distribution of power and influence in political systems. Mainly, the issue of those who use the internet for political resources and civic engagement compare to those who do not use. The main idea is that the internet politics will disproportionately benefit the elite.
Technology is more theoretical than practical in most government initiatives. This renders availability, barrier among the socio economically under privileged generating a digital equality. A government ICT center is more likely to have limited computers raising the competition of which the less advantaged loses.
To conclude this assignment defined the terms Digital divide, E-governance and E-democracy and the impact of digital divide has on the democracy and South African government
Sources Consulted
Definition of Digital Divide. [online] Available.
Http://searchcio.midmarket.techtarget.com [Accessed 21 April 2013].
Norris, P9. 2001. Digital divide: civic engagement, information poverty, and the internet worldwide. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversities Press.
The Digital Divide. [online] Availble.
Http://m.articlebase.com/politics-articles/the-digital-divide.ht6ml
U.K. E-Democracy Consultation. [online] Available.
Http://www.democracy.gov.uk [Accessed 21 April 2013].
World e-Parliament address digital divide [online] Available
http://m.bizcommunity.com [Accessed 21 April 2013]
