Improving the knowledge exchange landscape in the Cape Flats, a developing community in South Africa

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Description/Abstract

South Africa has a national shortage of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) personnel. Great strides are being made to improve the level of ICT literacy among the school population. However, it will take some time before the current school population has the necessary background training needed to use ICT in a corporate setting and fill this gap. Web 2.0 services have created a virtual world that brings people closer through the formation of networks. Web 2.0 services tend to be single function, easy-to-use tools. This research explored the use of Web 2.0 services to lower the barrier to take-up of ICT, by people living in a socially and economically deprived area, and affected by gangsterism and drugs. This article reports on an investigation into the use of Web 2.0 technologies to enhance the information flow within the community to assist preventing the growth and spread of gangsterism and the use of drugs among South African communities, especially those in the Cape Flats. Ex-gang members and ex-drug addicts were interviewed, none of whom finished high school or had previous experience of using ICT. The findings showed that, through the use of Web 2.0 technologies, interviewees learnt to use, exchange and disseminate information.