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

Abstract

South Africa has a nat onal shortage of Informat on Commun cat on 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 serv ces 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 art cle reports on an investigation into the use of Web 2.0 technologies to enhance the information flow w thin the community to assist preventing the growth and spread of gangsterism and the use of drugs among South Afr can 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