Investigating cultural knowledge systems, Mandhwane and mind mobilisation for rural communities in the digital era

Abstract

Despite information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D)’s transformative contributions to society, scholars critique it for its technological determinism and Eurocentric bias, recommending holistic theories rooted in contextual ontologies and epistemologies. In response to these critiques, this study employed a mixed- method case study approach through a social constructivism methodology to investigate the research question; how do cultural knowledge systems facilitate the active and inclusive participation of African rural communities in digital transformation? Conducted from an emic Afrocentric paradigm, this investigation explored the research problem through cases of cultural preservation, financial management systems, and the farming practices of the Balobedu people in the Mamaila Tribal Authority (MTA), Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study found that identity, spirituality, Botho in adversity, Letšema collective capabilities, intergenerational learning, and the pedagogy of Mandhwane serve as the foundation for facilitating inclusive and active participation in digital transformation and, consequently, in the digital knowledge and learning economy. Additionally, the study found that, while the application of Botho philosophy to ICT4D has been valuable, its scope is limited and focuses primarily on the attributes of Botho, failing to express the holistic nature of human existence, which encompasses the NTU ways of being (Mu-NTU/Ba-NTU), temporal space and time (Ha-NTU), digital and non-digital resources (Ki-NTUs), and the quality and modality of being (Ku-NTU). This study argues that separating these entities lays a foundation for excluding rural communities in Africa in the digital era. This study significantly contributes to scholarly knowledge by introducing the Digital Mandhwane theory (DM-T), rooted in the entity of Batho encompassing NTU ways of being, knowing, doing, and leading and their interplay with environmental and psychological factors. The DM-T theorises the meaning of a transformative state of digital being, through human agency, in the context of the evolving digital knowledge and learning economy, advancing beyond ICT4D theory and technology dependency. While the findings are context-specific, the theoretical framework and methodological approaches developed in this study offer valuable insights that can be adapted to diverse cultural settings for future research on digital transformation. Researchers can draw insights to explore comparative analyses across diverse cultural contexts to examine the role of contextual cultural knowledge systems, practices, and processes in facilitating inclusive and active participation in digital transformation.