An ANT Exploration of mParticipation in the City of Cape Town

Abstract

The city of Cape Town has invested in ICT capability. The city has successfully implemented a powerful ERP system and is completing several projects such as: setting up an optical fibre network, improving GIS, eProcurement and other services. All these will impact highly on the provision of transactional services to citizens. But what about their other needs for housing, sanitation, security, legal environment and other community infrastructural facilities, the poor resolution of which is leading to fierce demonstration and sometimes to violence? Are their needs heard? Are they even articulated? Who is supposed to be listening to them? Are there opened channels for that purpose? Are there electronic channels? Are there mobile channels to carry through the expression of community needs? This paper explores the use of mobile technologies in achieving Community Articulation of Needs in the city of Cape Town, and using Actor Network Theory (ANT) it builds a case study of mParticipation by analysis of a specific instance: the enactment of a bylaw for liquor selling hours. ANT is applied to data gathered from document reviews, interviews and observation, and unveils dynamics favouring and impeding community articulation of needs; for example, the weaknesses of the mobile technology channel despite the availability of ICT capabilities to all public participation stakeholders.