Abstract
Access to information through telecentres is essential for social and
economical growth in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. While many governments
have established telecentres as means of bridging the increasingly wide digital divide
in rural or unserved areas, their corresponding sustainability or continual operation is
in doubt due to various challenges. These challenges to information and
communications technology (ICT) access has resulted in many of the rural
population being unable to exploit the potential of promoting social economic
development through innovative business solutions and education. In this study we
evaluate the sustainability of telecentres in Zambia and South Africa and propose
possible solutions to the problems that telecentres face. Strictly speaking, we focus
on two telecentres; Comsol telecentre in KZN, South Africa and Kanyonyo Resource
Centre in Mongu, Zambia.