The digital divide and the knowledge gap in South African internet usage

Abstract

Few theorists of the digital divide internationally have used figures from the developing world. This article examines recent trends in South African online usage, examining whether they support any current theories of the digital divide. It concludes that the most apt description of trends here is in Bonfadelli’s “knowledge gap” model (2002) in his study of Swiss Internet usage. In pointing out how frequent users have outpaced more sporadic or infrequent users, the study confirms Bonfadelli’s findings, while problematising current models of the digital divide in the developing world.