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Factors Affecting Citizens’ Use of e-Participation Platforms: A Case of GovChat Platform in Cape Town Municipality

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Freedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World (ICT4D 2022)

Part of the book series: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ((IFIPAICT,volume 657))

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Abstract

Citizen participation is critical to a democratic government as it allows the public to be involved in the decision-making process. e-Participation platforms enable the citizens to participate and voice their concerns. However, there is generally a low usage of e-Participation platforms by the citizens. This paper examines the factors affecting citizens’ use of e-Participation platforms in facilitating citizen participation. The study employed a case study approach using the GovChat platform in Cape Town municipality. The study used a qualitative research method and a deductive approach to theory. The Capability Approach theory was used to investigate the phenomenon of interest. We used the purposive sampling technique to select the 30 participants in the study. In addition, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the selected participants. Our results suggest that personal, environmental and social factors affect the effective use of the GovChat platform by citizens in Cape Town municipality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa

    Aiden Katzef, Nozibele Gcora Vumazonke, Wallace Chigona, Teofelus Tonateni Tuyeni & Chimwemwe Queen Mtegha

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  1. Aiden Katzef
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  2. Nozibele Gcora Vumazonke
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  3. Wallace Chigona
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  4. Teofelus Tonateni Tuyeni
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  5. Chimwemwe Queen Mtegha
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Correspondence to Chimwemwe Queen Mtegha .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK

    Yingqin Zheng

  2. The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Pamela Abbott

  3. ESAN University, Lima, Peru

    Jose Antonio Robles-Flores

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Katzef, A., Vumazonke, N.G., Chigona, W., Tuyeni, T.T., Mtegha, C.Q. (2022). Factors Affecting Citizens’ Use of e-Participation Platforms: A Case of GovChat Platform in Cape Town Municipality. In: Zheng, Y., Abbott, P., Robles-Flores, J.A. (eds) Freedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World. ICT4D 2022. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 657. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_5

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