An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

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Acacia An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa
About Acacia
Research Results Editor
ICT Resources Tina James
Stories
Projects Contributors
1998-2005 Neil Butcher, Tracy Cohen, Daniel Espitia, Anriette
002294 ICT Esterhuysen, Alison Gillwald,
Tina James, Michael Milazi, Jonathan Miller, Gordon
Information
Oyomno, Yokow Quansah,
Policy Handbook Claire Sibthorpe, Johannes Mowatshe Tselanyane,
Contacts Leo Van Audenhove, Kate Wild
People
Reviewers
Geneviève Lefebvre
Michael Jensen, Nigel Motts, Seán Ó Siochrú
Kathleen Diga
Gideon Christian
Alexandra Eustache
Morenike Ladikpo
Table of Contents
Foreword by the IDRC
ID: 11402
Added: 2002-10-16 10:22
Modified: 2008-07-16 14:50 A Message from the South African Acacia Advisory Committee
Refreshed: 2008-10-16 11:38
Abbreviations and Acronyms

Editor's Introduction to the Handbook

Credits

1. Information Policy in Context

1.1 Definition and Scope of Information Policy

1.2 Issues to Consider in the Development of Information Policy

1.2.1 The Information Economy and National Economic Development

1.2.2 The Move towards Globalisation in the Telecommunications Sector
1.2.3 Reform and Regulation of the Telecommunications Sector within a Global
and African Context
1.2.4 Governance of the Internet
1.2.5 Convergence and the Development of Relevant Content, Services and
Applications
1.2.6 Developing Human Resource Capacity
1.2.7 Integrating Equity and Freedom of Expression in Information Policy

2. An Overview of Information Policy Initiatives in Southern Africa

2.1 Information Policy Trends within SADC: An Assessment of the Status Quo

2.1.1 Southern African Development Community (SADC)

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

2.1.2 The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
2.1.3 National Information and Communications Infrastructure (NICI) Initiatives

2.2 Problems and Issues Emerging from the Southern African Experience - What
Lessons Can We Learn?

3. An Analysis of Information Policy in South Africa

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Presenting an Overview of ICT Policy in South Africa

3.3 The Transition Period (1989 - 1994)

3.3.1 Broadcasting
3.3.2 The Reconstruction and Development Programme and ICTs

3.4 The Transformation Period: 1994 - 1997

3.5 The Implementation Period: 1997 - 2000

3.6 The Evaluation and Policy Reformulation Period: 2000 - present

3.7 Problems and Issues Emerging from the South African Experience - What Lessons
Can We Learn ?

4. Educational Technology Policy in Southern Africa

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Where Technologies Can Most Effectively Support Education

4.3 What Policies Affect the Use of ICTs in Education?

4.4 The Southern African Policy Environment

4.4.1 Range of Policy Approaches

4.4.2 Predominance of Donor-Funded Initiatives
4.4.3 Focus on Schooling
4.4.4 Working Off a Low Technological and Skills Base
4.4.5 Southern African Implementation Environment

4.5 Educational Technology Policy in South Africa

4.5.1 The TELI Process

4.5.2 The Centre for Educational Technology and Distance Education (CETDE)
4.5.3 SchoolNet SA
4.5.4 South African Broadcasting Policy relating to Education
4.5.5 The Vision of a National Educational Network
4.5.6 The ICT Forum

4.6 Emerging Lessons

4.6.1 Uncharted Territory

4.6.2 Regulatory Frameworks and Complexity
4.6.3 Macro and Micro-level Models

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

4.6.4 Technology-driven Educational Solutions do not Work

4.6.5 Technologies as a Catalyst for Transformation or as a Mechanism for
Maintaining the Status Quo

4.7 Conclusion

5. Policy Mechanisms for Stimulating e-Commerce

5.1 Background

5.2 Definitions

5.3 Preconditions for Establishing an e-Commerce Policy Process

5.4 Key Factors Enabling e-Commerce

5.5 Why the Need for an e-Commerce Policy?

5.6 e-Commerce Practice and Policy in Africa

5.6.1 e-Commerce in Practice

5.6.2 Regional e-Commerce Policy Initiatives
5.6.3 Country-level e-Commerce Policies and Strategies in the SADC Region

5.7 South Africa's e-Commerce Legislative Process

5.7.1 Perspectives on the South African e-Commerce Policy Process

5.8 Problems Encountered in e-Commerce Initiatives in Southern Africa - What Lessons

Can We Learn?

6. Conclusions

6.1 Emerging Lessons for Policy Development in Southern Africa

6.2 Conclusion

Appendices

Appendix 1: A Brief Overview of Global and Regional Trends in Telecommunications

Infrastructure

Appendix 2: The African Information Society Initiative (AISI)

Appendix 3: Key ICT-related Institutions in Mozambique

Appendix 4: Key ICT-related Institutions in Namibia

Appendix 5: Key ICT-related Institutions in South Africa

Appendix 6: Selected Regional ICT-related Institutions in Africa

Appendix 7: The Info.com Programme of the Department of Communications - South

Africa

Appendix 8: National Telecommunications Forum (South Africa)

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

Appendix 9: National Information Technology Forum (South Africa)

Appendix 10: The South African National Qualifications Framework and the
Development of ICT

Appendix 11: ICT Research Priorities for the South African National Research
Foundation

Appendix 12: An Overview of e-Commerce Policy and Practice in SADC countries

Appendix 13: References on Information Policy in Southern Africa

Appendix 14: An Overview of Donor Agencies with ICT-related Interests

Appendix 15: Survey of International and African ICT Policy and Research Institutions

Appendix 16: Contributors

List of Tables and Figures

List of Tables

Table 1: Key SADC Institutions Dealing with ICTs

Table 2: Overview of Internet Usage and International Bandwidth for Southern African
Countries (Jensen, 2001)

Table 3: Number of Domains and Websites in SADC Countries

Table 4: Outcomes and Recommendations of Regional Policy Initiatives

Table 5: Global Increase in Infrastructure for 1991-1996 and Forecast for 2001

Table 6: Infrastructure Growth and Access per 1 000 people for High-income Countries
(HIC) and for Low and Middle-income Countries (LMIC) 1990-1998 (Source: World
Bank)

Table 7: Regional Comparison for Infrastructure Development

Table 8: The Implementation of the Info.com Programme up to Mid-1999

List of Figures

Figure 1: Rowlands' Three Hierarchical Levels for Information Policy

Figure 2: Policies for Shaping an Integrated ICT Structure

Figure 3: Overview of ICT Policy Processes in South Africa

Figure 4: Overview of Education Technology Policy Processes in South Africa

Figure 5: A Possible Systemic Cycle for Policy Development

Figure 6: International Internet Bandwidth Comparison

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

Credits:

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Material in this report is produced as submitted. The views expressed in this publication
are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the International
Development Research Centre or the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Mention of
a proprietary name does not constitute endorsement of a product and is given only for
information.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the International
Development Research Centre (IDRC), P O Box 8500, Ottawa, ON Canada K1G 3H9.

This site has been optimised for viewing on a high-colour (16 million colours) 800 by
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Please e-mail any comments, or notification of errors or corrections to The Editor.

© International Development Research Centre, 2001

Multimedia
1.1 - Fig. 1: Rowlands' three hierarchical levels for information policy

1.1 - Fig. 2: Policies for shaping an integrated ICT Structure (Mansell

and Wehn, 1998)

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

4.6 - Figure 5: A possible systemic cycle for policy development

5.7 - The South African legislative cycle

App 1 - Figure 6: International Internet Bandwidth Comparison

Document(s)

Part 7 - Appendix 4: Key ICT-related Institutions in Namibia 2001

Part 4.3 - What Policies Affect the Use of ICTs in Education ? 2001

Page 3 - Editor's Introduction to the Handbook 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 5: Key ICT-related Institutions in South Africa 2001

Part 4.4 - The Southern African Policy Environment 2001

Page 1 - Foreword Kate Wild 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 6: Selected Regional ICT-related Institutions in Africa 2001

Part 4.5 - Educational Technology Policy in South Africa 2001

Page 2 - A Message from the South African Acacia Advisory Committee

(SAAAC) Stephen Mncube 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 7: The Info.com Programme of the Department of

Communications - South Africa 2001

Part 4.6 - Emerging Lessons 2001

Part 3.1 - Introduction 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 8: National Telecommunications Forum (South Africa) 2001

Part 4.7 - Conclusion 2001

Page 4 - Abbreviations and Acronyms 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 9: National Information Technology Forum (South Africa)

2001

Part 5 - Policy Mechanisms for Stimulating e-Commerce 2001

Part 1 - Information Policy in Context 2001

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

Part 7 - Appendix 10: The South African National Qualifications Framework

(NQF) and the Development of ICT Skills 2001

Part 5.1 - Background 2001

Part 1.1 - Definition and Scope of Information Policy 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 11: ICT Research Priorities for the South African National
Research Foundation 2001

Part 5.2 - Definitions 2001

Part 1.2 - Issues to Consider in the Development of Information Policy 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 12: An Overview of e-Commerce Policy and Practice in SADC

Countries 2001

Part 5.3 - Preconditions for Establishing an e-Commerce Policy Process 2001

Part 2 - An Overview of Information Policy Initiatives in Southern Africa 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 13: References on Information Policy in Southern Africa 2001

Part 5.4 - Key Factors Enabling e-Commerce 2001

Part 2.1- Information Policy Trends within SADC: An Assessment of the Status
Quo 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 14: An Overview of Donor Agencies with ICT-related

Interests, August 2000 2001

Part 5.5 - Why the Need for an e-Commerce Policy ? 2001

Part 2.2 - Problems and Issues Emerging from the Southern African
Experience - What Lessons Can We Learn ? 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 15: Survey of International and African ICT Policy and
Research Institutions, August 2000 2001

Part 5.6 - e-Commerce Practice and Policy in Africa 2001

Part 3 - An Analysis of Information Policy in South Africa 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 16: Contributors 2001

Part 5.7 - South Africa's e-Commerce Legislative Process 2001

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An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa: International Development Research Centre

Part 3.2 - Presenting an Overview of ICT Policy in South Africa 2001

Part 5.8 - Problems Encountered in e-Commerce Initiatives in Southern Africa

- What Lessons Can We Learn ? 2001

Part 3.3 - The Transition Period: 1989 - 1994 2001

Part 6 - Conclusions 2001

Part 3.4 - The Transformation Period: 1994 - 1997 2001

Part 6.1 - Emerging Lessons for Policy Development in Southern Africa 2001

Part 3.5 - The Implementation Period: 1997 - 2000 2001

Part 6.2 - Conclusion 2001

Part 3.6 - The Evaluation and Policy Reformulation Period: 2000 - present 2001

Part 7 - Appendices 2001

Table of content

Part 3.7 - Problems and Issues Emerging from the South African Experience -
What Lessons Can We Learn ? 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 1: A Brief Overview of Global and Regional Trends in

Telecommunications Infrastructure 2001

Part 4 - Educational Technology Policy in Southern Africa 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 2: The African Information Society Initiative (AISI) 2001

Part 4.1 - Introduction 2001

Part 7 - Appendix 3: Key ICT-related Institutions in Mozambique 2001

Part 4.2 - Where Technologies Can Most Effectively Support Education 2001

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