Free doesn’t mean access to the Wi-Fi facility: The south African experience

The South African government strives to increase citizens’ participation in economic, political, social and trade activities through online connectivity, by providing free Wi-Fi for previously disadvantage, peri-urban communities. This was in an attempt to contribute and promote poverty alleviation, growth and economic transformation among communities that are generallly considered low income earners. Thus, the government embarked on a free Wi-Fi project for peri-urban communities, which Nyanga in the Western Cape was a benefactor. Even though the Wi-Fi was free, its accessibility was significantly low. Based on the background, the objective of the study was reached, to examine how accessibility influences usage of free facility such the Wi-Fi in the Nyanga community. The qualitative methods, case study approach and semi-structure interview technique were employed from the interpretivist perspective. From the analysis of the data, five factors, security, proximity, technical know-how, and awareness were found to be of primary influence to accessibility of free Wi-Fi facility in the Nyanga community. Based on the findings, a model was developed, which can be used to educate stakeholders in order to guide and increase access to the government free Wi-Fi. Such educational effort is intended to promote inclusiveness in socioeconomic activities.