Text in English / This study adopted a quantitative approach in order to produce numbers in relation to the diffusion of the new media. A descriptive quantitative survey was conducted – with sampling done in multi-stage probability – which comprised clustering, simple random, systematic, stratified sampling techniques, convenience and census sampling. A sample size of 379 respondents was selected, comprising 347 citizen-respondents and 32 government communicators (heads of communication). Data was collected utilising two (2) standardised questionnaires – one tailor-made for the citizens and the other for government communicators. Informed by the Diffusion of Innovations theory, this study has established that new media channels have difussed extensively within communities in the Province of Mpumalanga. This has provided a strong motivation to recommend that the communication policy of the South African government be amended, to include new media channels, like social media, as official government communication channels. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

It is sincerely hoped that this work will motivate other researchers and in particular my colleagues to do further research in the field of cellphone technology, especially how it can be mapped to enable it to be utilised as evidence in our courts. This research aims to develop the mapping of cellphone technology as an aid in the investigation of crime. The mapping of cellphone technology refers to how cellphone technology can be utilised in crime investigation and in particular how a criminal can be placed at the scene of a crime, as a result of a cellphone call that was either made or received. To place the suspect at the scene of a crime as a result of a call made or received, cellphone records and technology of the relevant cellphone company, as well as present computer programmes can be utilised. Shortly, it can be said that a criminal can geographically be placed within a space some where on this earth. / Criminology and Security Science / M.Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

Countries worldwide have reformed or are in the process of reforming their telecommunications industries. The reform process is characterised by new laws and policies, and the establishment of regulatory agencies to implement reforms in a new dynamic global environment. Regulatory reform has emerged as an important policy area worldwide. In South Africa, the regulatory environment is undergoing an overhaul to create a framework for vibrant competition and consequently affordable services. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper insight into the capability and state of readiness of the regulatory authority to implement its constitutional mandate: to regulate the industry, create conditions for competition, and to achieve socio-political objectives. The case study research design was used. The methodology include: in-depth interviews, qualitative content analysis and documentation. The report concludes that the regulator lacks behind global best practices in terms of crucial policy and regulatory aspects to successfully implement its mandate. / Communication Science / M. A. (International Communication)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology: Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / The use of mobile devices such as cell phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants and tablet computers is becoming prevalent in today’s world; and it is facilitating access to a vast amount of data, services and applications for the improvement of people’s lives. Advances in electronics and manufacturing technologies usually lead to the rapid release of newer and sleeker models with new features and capabilities. These newer models therefore render older models obsolete, and this pushes people to frequently replace their devices. The drawback of such frequent replacements is that a large number of devices are disposed and they end up as e-waste. The fact that e-waste constitutes a major hazard to human health and to the environment is the motivation behind this study whose aim is to examine the factors affecting the perceptions of teachers on the durability of cell phones in the e-learning context. This research aims was achieved through the content analysis of existing literature and through a survey of 67 secondary school teachers from the iLembe and UMgungundlovu district municipalities in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The attribution theory was selected as the theoretical framework for this study, and it led to the identification of four independent variables (Demographics, Intention, Knowledge, and Actual use) and of one dependent variable (Perceived Durability). The results of this study indicate that teaching experience and school location are the only two demographics that affect other variables from this research: School location affects cell phone durability, and teaching experience affects cell phone usage intentions. These results also indicate that all the variables of this research are linked except for the relationship between knowledge and perceived durability. One of the recommendations of this study is the proposal of a three year cycle for cell phone renewals in schools mobile learning projects in order to manage e-waste through e-recycling, and this recommendation is based on the finding of this research that teachers believe that cell phones generally lasts between two to three years. The main contribution of this study is to have examined the durability of mobile phones in the e-learning context and this is something new compared to all the studies reviewed by this research.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The conciliatory discourse of the South African Deaf social movement claims a commonality across South Africa's historical divides on the basis of a 'Deaf culture'. This claim in view of South Africa's deeply entrenched 'racial' divisions triggered this study. The study investigates the construction of Deaf identity and emphasizes the crossing of social boundaries in Cape Town, a society with a long history of discriminatory boundaries based on race. The study was carried out among adults who became deaf as children, the group for whom deafness, commonly viewed as both sensory and social deficit, is said to pose considerable linguistic, social and cultural challenges. It focused on strategies that deal with being deaf in a predominantly hearing world. To identify strategies, for this population without a geographical base, the study traced networks of social relationships. Fieldwork was carried out from September 1995 to December 2001. Between September 1995 and December 1997 research included systematic participant observation and informal interviews. Between January 1998 and December 2001 , continuing with participant observation and informal interviews, the study added formal interviews with a sample population of 94 deaf people across Cape Town, collected by the snowball method. The profile of this sample shows a relatively heterogeneous population on the basis of demographic factors and residential area but similarity on the basis of first language, Sign. The study demonstrates that history imposed boundaries. It categorized the Deaf as different from the hearing and in addition, in South Africa, produced further differentiation on the basis of apartheid category, age, Deaf school attended, method of education and spoken language. In this historical context the study identified a key strategy, 'Signing spaces'. A Signing space, identifiable on the basis of Sign-based communication, is a set of networks that extends from the deaf individual to include deaf and hearing people. On analysis it comprises a Sign-hear and a Sign-Q.e.gfspace. In Sign-~ networks, hearing people predominate. Relationships are domestic and near neighbourhood. In Sign-~ networks, deaf people predominate. Relationships are sociable and marked by familiarity. The study found that via the Signing space, the Deaf subvert deafness as deficit to recoup a social identity that is multi-faceted and dispersed across context. Boundaries crossed also vary by context and by networks. Sign-~ networks address the hearing boundary. Limits could be identified in the public arena, when barriers to communication and a poor supply of professional Sign language interpreters again rendered deafness as deficit. The boundaries of the Sign-deaf networks were difficult to determine and suggest the potential, facilitated by Sign language, to transcend South Africa's spoken languages and the related historical divisions. Sign-~ networks also suggest the additional potential, in sociable contexts, to transcend spoken language, trans-nationally. But mutual intelligibility of Sign language and the familiarity, communality and commonality it offered did not deny an awareness of historical differentiation and discrimination, as a case of leadership succession presented as a 'social drama' shows. However, the process of the 'social drama' also demonstrates that conflict, crises, and a discourse that reflects South Africa's historical divisions need not threaten a broader commonality. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die oorsteek van maatskaplike grense en verbreiding van maatskaplike identiteit: die nagaan van netwerke vir Dowes van Kaapstad Die bemiddelende diskoers van die Suid-Afrikaanse maatskaplike beweging vir Dowes maak op grond van 'n 'Dowe kultuur' aanspraak op 'n algemeenheid wat oor Suid-Afrika se geskiedkundige verdeeldhede heen strek. Hierdie aanspraak het, in die lig van Suid- Afrika se diepgewortelde 'rasseverdelings' , tot hierdie navorsing aanleiding gegee. Die navorsing ondersoek die vorming van 'n Dowe identiteit en beklemtoon die oorsteek van maatskaplike grense in Kaapstad, 'n gemeenskap met 'n lang verlede van diskriminerende grense wat op ras gebaseer is. Die navorsing is gedoen onder volwassenes wat as kinders doof geword het. Vir hierdie groep, waar dit gewoonlik as 'n sensoriese en sosiale gebrek beskou word, hou doofheid aansienlike linguistiese, sosiale en kulturele uitdagings in. Die navorsing fokus op strategieë wat te make het met doof wees in 'n oorheersend horende wêreld. Om vir hierdie bevolking sonder 'n geografiese basis strategieë te identifiseer, het die navorsing maatskaplike verhoudingsnetwerke nagegaan. Veldwerk is tussen September 1995 en Desember 2001 gedoen. Tussen September 1995 en Desember 1997 het die navorsing stelselmatige waarneming van die deelnemers en informele onderhoude met hulle behels. Hierdie waarneming en informele onderhoude is tussen Januarie 1998 en Desember 2001 voortgesit, maar die navorsing het nou ook formele onderhoude met 'n steekproefbevolking van 94 dowe mense van regoor Kaapstad ingesluit. Hiervoor is van die sneeubalmetode gebruik gemaak. Die profiel van hierdie steekproef toon 'n relatief heterogene bevolking op grond van demografiese faktore en woongebied, maar ooreenkoms op grond van eerste taal, naamlik Gebaretaal. Die navorsing toon aan dat grense deur die geskiedenis opgelê is. Dit het Dowes as verskillend van horendes gekategoriseer, en het daardeur in Suid-Afrika tot verdere differensiasie op grond van die apartheidskategorie, ouderdom, watter doweskool bygewoon is, wyse van onderrig en gesproke taal aanleiding gegee. In hierdie geskiedkundige konteks het die navorsing 'n belangrike strategie, 'Gebare-ruimtes', geïdentifiseer. 'n Gebare-ruimte wat uitgeken kan word op grond van Gebaar-gebaseerde kommunikasie, is 'n stel netwerke wat van die dowe individu af uitbrei om dowe en horende mense in te sluit. Uit 'n analise blyk dit dat dit 'n Gebaar-horende en Gebaar-dowe ruimte behels. In Gebaar-horende netwerke oorheers horende mense. Verhoudinge word in die huis en met die naaste bure aangegaan. In Gebaar-dowe netwerke oorheers dowe mense. Verhoudings is gesellig van aard en word deur ongedwongenheid gekenmerk. Die navorsing het bevind dat die Dowe doofheid as gebrek deur middel van die Gebaarruimte omkeer om 'n veelvlakkige maatskaplike identiteit wat dwarsoor die konteks versprei is, te behels. Grense wat oorgesteek word, varieer ook in konteks en ten opsigte van netwerke. Gebaar-horende netwerke fokus op die horende grens. Beperkinge kon in die openbare arena geïdentifiseer word in gevalle waar hindernisse ten opsigte van kommunikasie en gebrekkige voorsiening van Gebaretaal-tolke weer doofheid as 'n gebrek voorgestel het. Dit was moeilik om die grense van die Gebaar- ~ netwerke te bepaal en dit suggereer die potensiaalom, gefasiliteer deur Gebaretaal, Suid-Afrikaanse tale en die gepaardgaande geskiedkundige verdelings te transendeer. Gebaar-dowe netwerke suggereer ook die addisionele potensiaal om gesproke taal, in gesellige kontekste trans-nasionaal te transendeer. Maar onderlinge verstaanbaarheid van Gebaretaal en die ongedwongenheid, gemeenskaplikheid en algemeenheid wat dit gebied het, het nie 'n bewustheid van geskiedkundige differensiasie en diskriminasie ontken nie, soos 'n geval van opvolging van leierskap, wat as 'n 'sosiale drama' aangebied is, getoon het. Die proses van die 'sosiale drama' toon ook dat konflik, krisisse en 'n diskoers wat Suid-Afrika se geskiedkundige verdelings weerspieël, nie 'n wyer algemeenheid hoef te bedreig nie.

M. Tech. Business Administration / This study aims to evaluate how the use of mobile messaging applications by small enterprises can help build sustainable businesses by assisting small enterprise owners to mobilise their services and products in order to take advantage of the rapid growing base of mobile consumers in Africa and beyond the continent. The common major constraints to the growth and development of SMMEs in developing countries include: limited access to finance, limited access to business training, technological limitations, limited access to markets, poor transport infrastructure and limited business management skills. It was further found that the lack of use of the different kinds of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) was attributed to issues around need, affordability, availability and access.

Telecommunication includes voice, video and internet communication services. Thus, mobile telecommunication services involve voice communication, video streaming, graphics and television services at high speed. Technology development in mobile telecommunication has enabled users to exchange data using cell phones, laptops and other telecommunication devices. More so, understanding the concept of user experience is very important in the context of provision of mobile telecommunication services. This research will evaluate the effectiveness of mobile telecommunication services in Durban, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria amongst first-year IT students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Lagos State University. The research is focused on the actual experience and perceptions of first-year IT students. The study will examine the factors that influence first-year IT students' judgment of the quality of mobile telecommunication services. It will also access the impact of quality of mobile telecommunication services on the loyalty of first-year IT students towards their network operator. However, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is the theory adopted for this research, which explains how attitude of users determine the intention to use technology and the intention eventually influences the overall use of such technology. The objectives of this research highlight opportunities associated with understanding first-year IT students' experiences and perceptions of mobile telecommunication services in UKZN, Durban and LASU, Lagos. Other opportunities include giving an insight into the operations of network providers, determine the quality of mobile telecommunication services and understanding the impact of mobile telecommunication services on students in UKZN and LASU. Another significance of this study allows network providers to understand students' behaviour and to respond to their preferences. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The purpose of the research study was to explore how information is managed, in selected South African government departments, since the South African government is moving into the age of e-government and electronic service delivery. This study has tested and found that the degree to which information and knowledge are captured and used to support good governance depends on whether a strong underlying information management infrastructure is in place. A descriptive literature study was conducted to obtain information and views from available related literature that also served as the theoretical basis for the subsequent argument that the success of e-government depends on good information management, not just establishing an on-line presence. The primary data collection for this study was conducted from government employees, junior, middle and senior management level, employed by various Departments, in the National Offices. The findings indicate that a carefully considered plan and strategy for information management infrastructure development are required that include generating a shared vision for information management, a strong action and wide awareness and support by the key stakeholders. Various conclusions have been reached through this study i.e.: • The creation, use and preservation of electronic records pose special challenges requiring new techniques and tools but based on traditional information management principles and goals. • A learning culture and strong infrastructure of laws, policies, standards, practices, systems and people are required to support information management for both traditional and e-governance needs. • Good recordkeeping is a core component of good governance, especially in an increasingly information and technology-intensive environment. A number of recommendations are made, including suggestions that the South African Government should develop the information management structures within the Departments and identify the barriers to information sharing, and also barriers related to culture and structure.

United Nation's (UN) millennium development goal number three is aimed at eliminating gender inequality and empowering women. Gender-based violence is recognised as a global public health and human rights problem that leads to high rates of morbidity and mortality, including sexually transmitted infections, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance dependence and suicide. In responding to this international public health and human rights concern, the South African government has adopted numerous public health communication strategies to highlight the plight of women and children. One of the campaigns that are conducted in South Africa is the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children (16 Days of Activism Campaign). This campaign was introduced in 1999 but the literature review reveals that to date, no studies have focused on its evaluation. As such, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the 16 Days of Activism Campaign with special reference to the Soshanguve community in Gauteng province. This study builds on two theories, namely the excellence theory and the diffusion of innovation theory. Mixed research methods (also called triangulation) was used whereby in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from the Government Communication and Information System and the Department of Women, Children and People with Disability to establish the promotion strategies used in the campaign and the methods used to assess the effectiveness of the campaign. Furthermore, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted within the Soshanguve community to evaluate the promotion strategies and assess the impact of the campaign.This study revealed a high level of reliance on the television, radio and newspapers in the communication strategies. Both government departments acknowledged that they do not have a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign from the receivers‟ perspective. The Soshanguve community felt that in essence the campaign is relevant but not on time. The residents viewed the study as an important part of creating awareness about the campaign and they believed the campaign helped them to know what to do when faced with gender-based violence so that they can assist those who are affected by it.

Countries worldwide have reformed or are in the process of reforming their telecommunications industries. The reform process is characterised by new laws and policies, and the establishment of regulatory agencies to implement reforms in a new dynamic global environment. Regulatory reform has emerged as an important policy area worldwide. In South Africa, the regulatory environment is undergoing an overhaul to create a framework for vibrant competition and consequently affordable services. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper insight into the capability and state of readiness of the regulatory authority to implement its constitutional mandate: to regulate the industry, create conditions for competition, and to achieve socio-political objectives. The case study research design was used. The methodology include: in-depth interviews, qualitative content analysis and documentation. The report concludes that the regulator lacks behind global best practices in terms of crucial policy and regulatory aspects to successfully implement its mandate. / Communication Science / M. A. (International Communication)