Sema Fonkem 23/05/2024

South Africa has not been left out in regard to global social changes that have occurred due to the advancement of information and communication technology. Below are some of the examples of how South Africa as a society has been impacted.

1. Cultural norms and social structures

a.  Consumption information

People in South Africa now have multiple choices when it comes to consuming information. People no longer only rely on traditional radio, television and newspapers as they have the internet and social media platforms available on their finger tips through the use of smart phone devices.  Music can now be streamed on platforms such as Spotify for instant gratification unlike the days when one had to wait to go to music stores such as Musica to buy CDS. Instead of waiting for the news on radio or television, people can now go to online media such as YouTube for news update as most news stations now have YouTube channels.  Information can now be obtained both locally and internationally in the blink of an eye. 

b. Distribution of content

South Africans can use digital platforms to export their music, fashion and social culture worldwide to a wide range of audience. For example Spotify has different agents who are in charge of music marketing and distribution across different platforms and they also collect and pay royalties for artists. South Africans do not only have rely on SAMRO for royalties. This is how much technology has changed part of the music industry and content distribution. 

c. Diverse cultural environment

Through media technology, South Africans have become exposed to different religions and cultures from around the world so much that things like interracial relationships and same sex marriage have become a norm in most parts of our urban communities. Without exposure to information from new media, this would have almost been an impossibility. Through new media, people now have a wider frame of reference and no longer limited to information that is monopolised by government or business organisations. 

d. Media Addiction

The South African society is currently witnessing addiction to media by many individuals of different age groups who cannot get off their smart phones as they are constantly curious to know what is happening around them or just by playing games on their smart phone devices or just by consuming entertainment content. Now-a-days, smart phones are allowed in classrooms and you can easily spot some students watch videos on Tik Tok while in class and this type of behaviour usually has a negative impact on their academic performance. These days, It is normal to walk into a household and see everyone on their cellphones while on the dinner table. This type of addiction reduces interaction amongst family members.

e. Education

The improvement of new media has changed the learning process in most South African educational institutions. For example, most institutions now uses virtual learning services. Online classes are now normal because learners and teachers have adapted to interaction through social networks such as teams and Zoom which are used to conduct online classes. 

f. Influencer culture and technology

Improvement in technology has a great impact on the influencer culture. For example most celebrities on Instagram have to dress with the biggest clothing brands and use the latest cellphones in order to gain approval from their followers. As technology improves, more and people are becoming disconnected to the reality that we are not humans enough anymore if we are not using the latest phones or computers and accessories in the market. This affects our society negatively as we see more and more people in South Africa getting into debts or crime in order to live a lifestyle they cannot afford.

2. Economic systems

a. Conducting business

Advancement in technology has changed the way people  in South Africa do business and earn a living. It is now possible to have a network and form business partnerships through social media platforms such as LinkedIn, set up business meetings and conduct business online without commuting from one location to another. These days, Pharmacies such as Dischem have online doctors and  you can visit a branch and do consultations online and get prescriptions. This improvement in technology helps solves our health problems and reduces stress in patients. 

b. Digital banking

Before the advancement of technology, most transactions were carried out by exchanging huge amounts cash or catching out cheques at the bank or using our bank cards or IDs to withdraw money from the bank tellers. This is no longer a common practice because communication technology has improved so much that it is now easy to use digital banking apps to transfer money from one account to another and the money will be received immediately. Digital banking technologies such as crypto currency and other digital banking wallets now exist in south Africa and people do not have  to carry physical cash anymore. 

It is safe to say that the media is everywhere and with almost everyone in South Africa at any given time. As more and more companies continue to invest in technology and new media, the cost of smart phones, other devices and access to information becomes affordable by majority of the population. As the information society will continually expands, the dissemination of information becomes easier and more people in the South African communities will become enlightened and acquire new skills. This will help the country to rapidly grow economically. Easy access to communication technology simply means easy access to the rest of world.