11. The Digital Divide in South Africa: Insights from the COVID-19 Experience and Beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed digitalization firmly on the development agenda. Although the pandemic has caused enormous social and economic devastation, it presents developing countries—particularly in Africa—with an opportunity to fast-track their plans toward a digital transition. There are binding constraints that make it harder for many developing countries to undertake this transition. These include lack of infrastructure, networks, technologies, and related skills. South Africa also finds itself in a similar bind. The digital uptake is driven by several factors such as affordability, digital literacy, and fit for purpose content as discussed in the chapter. These factors impact the pace of progress in South Africa’s digitalization efforts. The assessment of South Africa’s internet users’ profile also provides insights on why the factors impact uptake. The chapter concludes by laying out recommendations for increased connectivity and onboarding onto the broadband platforms.