PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION & ICTs PHASE II REPORT South Africa Prepared for the University of Washington, Center for Information & Society. Tina James (project leader) icteum consulting (South Africa) [email protected] Alan Finlay Open Research (South Africa) [email protected] Michael Jensen Independent consultant (South Africa) [email protected] Mark Neville FuturePerfect (South Africa) [email protected] Rasagee Pillay Infowizz (South Africa) [email protected] Preliminary version: Feb 15, 2008 Draft 1: July 20, 2008. Final Report: August 15, 2008 University of Washington Center for Information & Society 4311 11th Avenue NE, Suite 400 Box354985 Seattle, WA 98195 USA www.cis.washington.edu [email protected] © 2008 University of Washington Center for Information & Society (CIS). The views expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Washington or CIS. Recommended citation: James, T., et al. (2008). Public access to information & ICTs: South Africa. Public Access Landscape Study final report, presented by Icteum Consulting to University of Washington Center for Information & Society (CIS), Seattle. ii Table of Contents 1 Extended Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research Project Overview ................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Country Overview ................................................................................................................. 2 1.4 Research Rationale, Sample, and Methods............................................................................ 5 1.5 Information Needs of Underserved Communities ................................................................. 6 1.6 Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities in Key Public Access Venues ............................... 8 1.7 Salient Findings ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.8 Key Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 9 2 Methodology .................................................................................................................. 12 2.1 Venue Selection .................................................................................................................. 12 2.1.1 Venues studied ...................................................................................................................................... 15 2.1.1 Other experiences of public access to information that are not quite “venues” .................................. 16 2.1.2 Other existing public access venues, not included in this study ............................................................ 18 2.2 Inequity Variables ............................................................................................................... 22 2.2.1 Socio‐economic status ........................................................................................................................... 23 2.2.2 Educational level .................................................................................................................................... 23 2.2.3 Age ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 2.2.4 Gender ................................................................................................................................................... 24 2.2.5 Location ................................................................................................................................................. 24 2.2.6 Other inequity variables ........................................................................................................................ 25 2.3 Data Gathering Techniques ................................................................................................. 25 2.3.1 Literature review ................................................................................................................................... 25 2.3.1.1 Most useful bibliography: .................................................................................................................. 25 2.3.2 Individual interviews .............................................................................................................................. 26 2.3.3 Group interviews and focus groups ....................................................................................................... 28 2.3.4 Site visits ................................................................................................................................................ 29 2.3.5 Surveys ................................................................................................................................................... 29 2.3.6 Other data gathering techniques ........................................................................................................... 34 2.3.7 Most useful contacts ............................................................................................................................. 34 2.4 Research Trustworthiness and Credibility ........................................................................... 36 2.4.1 Research limitations .............................................................................................................................. 37 2.4.2 Team qualifications ................................................................................................................................ 37 iii 3 Country Assessment ....................................................................................................... 40 3.1 Overall Country Assessment ............................................................................................... 40 3.2 Real Access Framework ....................................................................................................... 40 3.2.1 Access .................................................................................................................................................... 40 3.2.2 Capacity ................................................................................................................................................. 41 3.2.3 Environment .......................................................................................................................................... 42 3.3 Information Needs of Underserved Communities ............................................................... 42 3.3.1 Information sources ............................................................................................................................... 43 3.3.2 Key barriers to accessing the information that underserved communities need ................................. 45 3.3.3 Ways users experience different types of public access venues ........................................................... 46 3.3.4 Inequity environment in the country ..................................................................................................... 46 3.3.5 Freedom of press and expression and the right to information ............................................................ 48 3.4 Charts: Information Needs, Users, and Uses ........................................................................ 49 3.4.1.1 Users, by type of venue................................................................................................................. 50 3.4.1.2 Information People Seek, by type of venue .................................................................................. 53 3.4.1.3 Uses of ICT, by type of venue ........................................................................................................ 54 3.4.1.4 Frequency of Use for each type of venue ..................................................................................... 55 3.4.1.5 Barriers to use for each type of venue .......................................................................................... 56 3.4.2 Salient initiatives to help meet critical information needs by underserved communities .................... 71 3.4.2.1 Past initiatives: .............................................................................................................................. 71 3.4.2.2 Ongoing initiatives: ....................................................................................................................... 71 3.4.2.3 Historical trends and opportunities to serve information needs .................................................. 73 3.4.2.4 Planned initiatives: ........................................................................................................................ 74 3.5 Economic, Policy, and Regulatory Environment ................................................................... 74 3.5.1 National and local economic environment ............................................................................................ 74 3.5.2 National and local policy (legal and regulatory) environment .............................................................