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This article systematically reviews literature on the challenges affecting the delivery of low-income housing in Cape Town, South Africa. A systematic method, informed by PRISMA, was employed to identify, evaluate, and select relevant scholarly works, official documents, policy papers, and governmental publications. The identified sources were subjected to a thematic analysis with the objective to pinpoint recurrent issues that impact the provision of low-income housing. The review found that low-income housing delivery in Cape Town is affected by interconnected challenges, including land availability, spatial inequality, funding constraints, infrastructure limitations, administrative delays, weak institutional coordination, limited stakeholder participation and transparency concerns. The results demonstrate that low-income housing delivery should be viewed as a major governance, planning, and service-delivery issue in addition to the building of housing units. This paper suggests that integrated human settlements, better financial planning, more transparent approval processes, more intergovernmental cooperation, significant stakeholder participation, and open communication should be given top priority when it comes to Cape Town's low-income housing delivery. Through summarizing previous research and emphasizing the necessity of an integrated strategy to address Cape Town's low-income housing issues, the article adds to the conversation regarding housing delivery.

This paper examines how drawing skills can be taught to unemployed youth in under-resourced contexts to support the expression of their lived experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Framed within a vocational education and training (VET) skills ecosystem orientation, the study positions creative skills development as part of broader human development and livelihood sustainability initiatives in informal settings. The paper aims to explore the potential of arts-based research (ABR) as a pedagogical and methodological approach for developing 21st-century skills, with a specific focus on drawing as a tool for communication and reflection during a crisis. We employed a qualitative arts-based research design that combined creative workshops, visual artefacts, and participant reflections. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, the research design was adapted to a digital environment, with WhatsApp used as the primary platform for skills instruction, interaction, and data collection. The dataset comprised visual drawings produced by unemployed youth participants, reflective narratives, and facilitator observations generated during a series of online creative workshops. The qualitative and visual data were analysed thematically, resulting in six key themes that captured participants’ experiences of unemployment, uncertainty, resilience, identity, and the challenges of learning creative skills in a digitally mediated, resource-constrained context. The main findings demonstrate that (i) drawing skills can be effectively taught using low-cost digital platforms, even in under-resourced settings; (ii) creative processes enable unemployed youth to articulate and reflect on their lived experiences during a pandemic; and (iii) a VET-oriented skills ecosystem provides a useful framework for situating arts-based skills development within broader livelihood and social support structures. Despite a small sample size, the study contributes practical insights into conducting arts-based research during crises and offers guidance for integrating creative skills development into informal youth skills ecosystems.

This article examines the influence of mentorship on women entrepreneurs in Cape Town, South Africa. The study assesses the extent to which mentorship contributes to personal empowerment, entrepreneurial performance, and innovation, while accounting for the effects of systemic barriers and the policy environment. A qualitative research design was employed, incorporating a systematic literature review guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to synthesize existing evidence. The review followed an iterative screening process, identifying three peer-reviewed studies that explicitly address mentorship in relation to women entrepreneurs within the African context. The findings from the literature indicate that women entrepreneurs across Africa face persistent structural constraints, including social-cultural norms, limited access to skills development, weak support systems, financial exclusion, and inadequate policy frameworks.  To complement the literature, primary data were collected from ten young female entrepreneurs in Cape Town who participated in a mentorship programme at RLabs. The empirical finding reinforce the significance of mentorship as a critical enabler of entrepreneurial growth, particularly in enhancing self-efficacy, business capabilities, and innovative practices. The study concludes that mentorship functions as a context-dependent and multifaceted mechanism that bridges personal empowerment and entrepreneurial outcomes. However, its effectiveness is contingent on the alignment of mentorship programmes with the specific social-economic realities of women entrepreneurs. The article recommends the design and implementation of targeted, context-sensitive mentorship interventions supported by enabling policy frameworks. While women's entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a catalyst for economic development in Africa, persistent systemic constraints continue to impede their full potential. This study contributes to literature by advancing a nuanced understanding of mentorship as both an individual and structural lever for entrepreneurial success within emerging economies. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming digital marketing by enabling advanced analytics, automation, and personalised customer engagement. Despite growing adoption, qualitative insights into how small retail enterprises in emerging economies adopt AI remain limited. This study examines AI adoption in digital marketing among small retailers in Cape Town using an interpretivist qualitative case study design. Grounded in an integrated Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 participants identified via snowball sampling. Thematic analysis shows that AI adoption is driven by competitive pressure, customer expectations, and perceived performance benefits, but is constrained by skills gaps, cost concerns, and data-related challenges. The study extends TOE–UTAUT theory by demonstrating how platform-based AI tools reduce technological barriers while amplifying organisational and capability-related constraints in emerging market contexts. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to support sustainable digital transformation in small business ecosystems.

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, grants all official languages parity of esteem and equal treatment. The Constitution also recognises injustices of the past and historical diminished use of indigenous (African) languages. It is against this backdrop that this democratic constitution calls-upon the national and provincial government to take practical and positive measures in encouraging the use and elevation of the status of African languages. In advocating for these languages, the Constitution declares that a minimum of two official languages be used by the government in executing government activities. Contrastingly, the heads of court resolutions in 2017 declared English a lingua franca in South African courts. In a diverse country such as South Africa with twelve official languages, this raises critical concerns in terms of the country’s diversity, inclusivity, and multilingualism policies. With a distinct focus on Eastern Cape legal courts, this study examines the constitutional linguistic rights on the use of English as a lingua franca in South African courts system. The study adopted a qualitative research approach embedded within the exploratory-explanatory research design. The data was obtained from secondary sources, which in this context are judicial precedents. To analyse the collected data, close-reading and thematic content analysis techniques were adopted. The findings of the study exhibit English as a language of power and access in law, this positions African languages at the periphery, limiting their development and incorporation in legalese. Also, the use of English as a lingua franca in the Eastern Cape courts contravenes the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. This study submits that legal practitioners and linguists should critically explore, language studies to bridge the knowledge gap.  Additionally, the government should create channels which allow the practical use of African languages in the court of law.                                                                                                                                             

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted traditional Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) practices in South African Universities of Technology (UoTs), necessitating rapid adaptation to virtual, hybrid, and project-based learning models. This study investigates post-COVID WIL practices, stakeholder perceptions, curriculum impacts, and the effectiveness of newly implemented strategies. Situated within an interpretivist paradigm, a qualitative approach was adopted to explore the meanings participants ascribe to WIL experiences. An exploratory multiple case-study design enabled in-depth insights across six UoTs. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 27 participants; including lecturers, WIL coordinators, and document analysis to capture diverse perspectives and institutional artefacts. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and managed in NVivo; thematic analysis combining deductive and inductive coding was applied to generate categories, subthemes, and overarching themes aligned to the research objectives. Thematic analysis revealed four overarching dimensions: (1) current WIL practices, including communication strategy development, traditional placements, project-based learning, and collaborative mentorship; (2) stakeholders’ perceptions, highlighting opportunities and constraints in transitioning to online and hybrid modalities; (3) curriculum impacts, reflecting both enhanced work-readiness and systemic limitations such as misaligned placements, insufficient exposure, and financial inequities; and (4) a balanced assessment of WIL strategies, emphasizing the integration of virtual approaches, simulation technologies, traditional placements, and industry partnerships. The main findings demonstrate that hybrid, adaptive WIL models supported by structured mentorship, formalised industry collaboration, and reflective practices optimally cultivate employable, competent, and resilient graduates. The study underscores the need for strategic planning, institutional capacity building, and equity-focused interventions to sustain WIL effectiveness in post-pandemic higher education

Maize serves as South Africa's principal staple crop; yet, smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape encounter persistent obstacles, such as low productivity and restricted market access. Cooperatives are often advocated to enhance livelihoods and facilitate farmers' integration into global value chains, however their efficacy remains contentious. This study investigates the impact of cooperative membership on maize market participation. A multi-stage stratified random sample of 200 farmers, comprising both cooperative members and non-members, was drawn from towns having functioning maize cooperatives. Data were collected via pre-tested questionnaires and analysed using a probit logistic regression model that accounts for socioeconomic and institutional variables. The findings demonstrate that cooperative participation exerts a substantial influence (β = 1.485, p = 0.102). Nonetheless, it lacks statistical significance at conventional thresholds. This indicates that although cooperative membership may enhance the probability of participating in formal markets, it does not ensure substantial involvement independently. Conversely, variables such as education, income, and employment position serve as more robust markers of engagement. The study indicates that while cooperatives promote collective action, it is essential to enhance governance, digital inclusion, and institutional support to enable effective integration into global value chains.

Smallholder agriculture is crucial for sustaining rural livelihoods across South Africa; nevertheless, involvement in global value chains (GVCs) is still restricted. This study examines the socio-economic determinants affecting the incorporation of smallholder maize farmers into global value chains in the Eastern Cape, a region marked by significant rural poverty and dependence on agriculture. The study evaluates the engagement levels of 200 farmers by a cross-sectional survey and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Findings indicate that elevated education levels and income substantially enhance the probability of moderate involvement in value chains; yet, no farmers attained complete participation owing to institutional impediments, including the absence of export permits. These findings indicate that human characteristics alone are inadequate; structural barriers are also essential. The report advocates for structural reforms, particularly those aimed at enhancing education, broadening market access, and eliminating licensing obstacles, to foster inclusive and sustainable participation of smallholder farmers in global value chains.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa’s tourism sector increasingly rely on business excellence practices to enhance competitiveness and performance. This study examines how employees in Cape Town tourism SMEs perceive business excellence, using a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative thematic insights. The findings identify key critical success factors underpinning business excellence, namely customer and employee satisfaction, operational efficiency, and organisational growth, with satisfaction emerging as the most dominant driver of performance. Additional enabling factors include strong leadership, continuous employee training, effective communication, and the implementation of quality management practices. While most employees indicated the presence of quality plans, gaps in understanding formal business excellence frameworks were evident, suggesting a disconnect between practice and conceptual awareness. These findings reinforce the importance of service quality as central to achieving sustained competitiveness in tourism SMEs. The study contributes to the effective and efficient adaptation of business excellence in both existing and future strategies for tourism SMEs' organizational development. The study contributes empirically to the limited South African literature on business excellence in SMEs and highlights the relevance of employee-centred performance dimensions. Practically, the results suggest that tourism SMEs should prioritise staff development, embed quality management systems, and foster a culture of continuous improvement, while policymakers and industry stakeholders should support SMEs through targeted training and capacity-building initiatives to enhance the effective adoption of business excellence frameworks. The main implication of the study results is that when business excellence principles are implemented, success and better results are easily achieved.

Globally, student assessment surveys are utilised to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Student evaluation questionnaires require a substantial investment of effort from both students and teachers.  This research aims to elucidate students' attitudes towards evaluation questionnaires, hence enhancing comprehension of the quality of information in completed assessments. The research encompassed undergraduate students enrolled in a Business and Information Management program within the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics at the Durban University of Technology, Midlands Campus, South Africa. The experiences and attitudes of students about teaching evaluation questionnaires were examined through metaphorical drawings and focus group discussions. The results reveal that students possess both favourable and unfavourable opinions toward student ratings. Positive themes encompass assessments as a systematic procedure and a chance for students to propose modifications. Negative attitudes encompass perceptions of evaluations as oppressive and threatening, reflecting a lack of profound contemplation by students when filling out the questionnaire, and raising enquiries about the subsequent activities made after completing the evaluations. Findings elucidate several elements influencing student evaluations of education, including the timing of administration, the individuals responsible for providing them, and the methods employed in their administration. The document advocates for other methods of gathering student feedback and the discontinuation of paper-based surveys. Feedback may be acquired using online questionnaires and qualitative interviews. Furthermore, learning analytics technologies can be integrated into the LMS utilised for administering online surveys, facilitating the provision of tailored feedback to individual students.

The study examines RDM practices implemented at universities by specifically focussing on RDM services provided by academic libraries, highlighting how the research data lifecycle informs the design of these services, which in turn shape the jobs, roles, skills and competencies required, while also emphasising the need for ongoing skills development as RDM practices evolve. It pursues an interpretivist philosophy and takes a qualitative approach by conducting a systematic literature review. The reviewer used the Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2020 to 2024 and applied specific pre-defined search terms, inclusion/exclusion criteria and the PRISMA 2020 flowchart to maintain methodological standards.  The findings identified 40 RDM services and classified them thematically based on how often they occurred, providing a guide for institutions to design, prioritise, and coordinate their service offerings. The analysis highlighted low RDM professional competencies and skills, training, and RDM professional training programs, which can guide professional development to build capacity. Also, some lifecycles of RDM were criticized, and changes to the Research Data Lifecycle were proposed, supporting better integration of RDM services alignment.  This research offers a detailed and practical breakdown of RDM activities and their people requirements, which furthers the discussion on RDM service provision. The research also fills the gap in RDM capacity development discourse by clarifying an institutional approach. It focuses on developing skills and adopting best practices in RDM in academic libraries. It also proposes additions to the research data lifecycle.

Digital transformation (DT) is becoming essential for the competitiveness and sustainability of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), and yet many South African (SA) retailers have to overcome inhibitors that hinder them from digitally transforming. Therefore, this study explores these inhibitors to DT within the retail SMMEs sector in Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces in South Africa using an exploratory multiple-case study design. Data from 23 in-depth semi-structured purposively sampled interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed on Atlas.ti 25 using the Braun and Clarke six-step framework to produce qualitative themes. The results reveal patterns of digital infrastructure constraints, a lack of digital literacy, financial and cost barriers, technical and operational challenges, psychological and attitudinal resistance, a lack of trust, safety concerns, and cyber risk, as well as business survival and strategic pressures, including the negative impact of the location where the business is located. Phased implementation, partnership with external stakeholders, and other strategic responses to these inhibitors requires targeted and strategic leadership and managerial interventions. This is the first study to combine Limits to Success Architype (LSA) and Adaptive Structuration (AST) in exploring the inhibitors to DT in retail SMMEs in South Africa.

South Africa's primary health care relies on nurses, the largest healthcare profession. Thus, their mental health must be maintained. Due to the rising number of infectious illnesses and workload, COVID-19 has overburdened the public health system. Due to these demands, nurses worked long hours and burnt out. Recognising nurses' role in providing excellent PHC services to communities and protecting their mental health is crucial. It examined the mental health effects of COVID-19 on nurses in Ekurhuleni South sub-district primary healthcare institutions and identified mental health issues following exposure. A self-administered questionnaire was used to perform a quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive survey of 280 primary healthcare nurses in the South sub-district of Ekurhuleni. Every eligible nurse who was available for data collection was picked using sequential sampling. The data collection tool included socio-demographic data, health and COVID-19 profiles of nurses and their families, mental health profiles and the impact of COVID-19 on participants, and conventional depressive, anxiety, and insomnia screening measures. Analysing data with descriptive statistics and testing for associations with the Chi-squared test. Most of the 280 nurse participants—87.5%—were female. From 28 to 63, participants participated. 40.4 percent of participants were 38–47 years old, while 13.9% were 58 and older. They had 54.6% diplomas, 23.2% degrees, 18.2% certificates, and 3.9% postgraduate degrees. Eighty-five percent of nurses were professional, with a median of 16 years. Nursing staff were 77.1% COVID-19-positive and 79.29% quarantined. 67% of nurses' family members had COVID-19, and 53.9% had lost someone close to them. Pre-pandemic, 87.1% of nurses had no psychiatric history. A high prevalence of clinical depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness was found in nurses, especially professional nurses and those aged 38–47. Study found 72.86% of nurses had serious depression and 17.5% mild depression. Nurses had 63.2% severe anxiety, 28.6% moderate anxiety, and 8.2% mild anxiety. This distribution demonstrates that 91.8% of nurses had moderate to severe anxiety, and 71.4% had clinical sleeplessness, where 36.8% were severe, 34.6% moderate, and 27.1% subthreshold. Most nurses had clinical depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness risk. Nurses reported depression, anxiety, and insomnia after COVID-19 exposure. Knowing these patterns of mental health issues among nurses is essential for designing comprehensive mental health support measures to address the immediate and long-term consequences of COVID-19 on their mental health.

This study rigorously analysed policy deficiencies and structural vulnerabilities in climate-resilient water and sanitation governance in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The research employed a qualitative approach, utilising semi-structured interviews with fifteen purposefully selected stakeholders, comprising municipal water technicians, engineers, planners, national and provincial authorities, and civil society representatives. The investigation examined the interaction between climate-induced pressures—such as droughts, floods, and rainfall variability—and governance deficiencies that undermine water and sanitation systems. The data collection concentrated on personal experiences of infrastructure failure, discrepancies between policy and reality, and obstacles in institutional coordination. Findings indicated that despite the province functioning inside advanced national frameworks like the National Water Act and the Disaster Management Act, their execution is cursory and predominantly reactive. Participants emphasised an excessive dependence on obsolete national climate models that neglect spatially distinct vulnerabilities across urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. Chronic underinvestment in infrastructure maintenance has become a persistent issue, as municipal budgets prioritise new capital projects over lifespan asset management. The technical team had institutional memory but lacked decision-making power because of bureaucratic procurement processes and disjointed interagency collaboration. The study additionally revealed significant deficiencies in real-time monitoring and enforcement capabilities, as well as gender discrepancies that marginalised women's involvement in governance frameworks. The study concludes that without immediate reforms to decentralise climate data generation, incorporate localised risk assessments, enhance preventive maintenance systems, and institutionalise participatory, technology-driven governance mechanisms, the water and sanitation systems in Eastern Cape will continue to be structurally fragile and susceptible to climate impacts. These insights provide novel empirical evidence to the discourse on sub-national climate adaptation in Africa, highlighting the necessity for multi-tiered, data-driven, and gender-sensitive reforms rooted in the realities of communities impacted by climate change.

In this conceptual paper, we examine student teachers’ beliefs about mathematics teaching within Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes, also referred to as Teacher Education programmes, focusing on the implications for equity and social justice in mathematics education, particularly in the South African context. Drawing on existing literature, we examine how student teachers’ beliefs shape their approach to teaching mathematics and the potential consequences for fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments. We highlight the importance of challenging traditional views of mathematics as a fixed, abstract discipline, advocating for a dynamic, culturally responsive, and contextually relevant understanding of the subject. We argue that ITE programmes should actively address and interrogate student teachers’ beliefs and attitudes towards mathematics, incorporating critical pedagogy and reflective practices to prepare educators who can help to address inequities inherent in the South African educational system. Additionally, we call for future research to explore the long-term impact of ITE on teacher practices, the role of school contexts in shaping teacher beliefs, and the integration of technology to support equity in mathematics education. Ultimately, our paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how student teachers’ beliefs about mathematics can influence their teaching practices and advance the broader goals of equity and social justice in education.

Health literacy is a public issue and plays a crucial role in improving health outcomes by empowering individuals to make informed decisions, effectively manage diseases, and utilise healthcare services appropriately. The aim of the systematic review is to examine current literature on health literacy and impact on health outcomes as well as the barriers hindering health literacy, gaps and possible suggestions to improve health literacy in Nigeria and its applications across the globe. A systematic review was performed according to Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework and followed PRISMA reporting flowchart. Most of the studies were designed to assess the impact of health literacy on health outcomes in Nigeria, covering various health issues such as HIV, tuberculosis, reproductive health, hypertension and diabetes. Most of the studies demonstrated a positive link between health literacy and improved health outcomes. Health literacy has the potential to promote behaviour change, disease-related knowledge and improve health outcomes in different population groups.

Teachers’ job satisfaction and performance remain central to the success of any educational system. In community-based high schools, often characterised by limited resources, diverse student needs, and strong socio-cultural influences, the factors that shape teacher motivation and productivity can be significantly different from those in urban or well-resourced schools. Understanding these factors is essential for improving teaching quality, fostering retention, and enhancing student outcomes. This is a cross-sectional survey study that examined potential factors that affect job satisfaction and performance among teachers in a community setting in Iba New Site, Ojo Local Government, Lagos State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from 60 teachers working in a selected high school in the community. The study assessed both monetary and non-monetary factors affecting participants in a high school environment. In respect to monetary factor, it was observed that majority of the participants were not satisfied or happy with their monthly salary, thereby negatively impacting on their commitment, job satisfaction and performance. Regarding non-monetary factors, certain factors such as job flexibility, teamwork, support from managers/management, training and development, promotion, job recognition and reward were examined. The findings from this study showed that job flexibility enhanced job satisfaction and performance of participants with over 43% of the participant reporting satisfaction (“good”) at the high school. Over 43% of the participants received very good support from their colleagues (teamwork), which enhanced their job satisfaction and performance. Sixty percent (60%) of the participants reported very good in terms of the level of support received from their managers/management. This is interesting as good leadership has been reported to significantly contribute to improving job satisfaction and performance among teachers in general. The study shows that majority of the participants reported “good” in terms of support provided by the management for continuing professional development (CPD) and training, and participants agreed that such training provided motivation for work, consequently enhancing job satisfaction and performance. It was observed in the study that 40% of the participants were satisfied with promotional exercise at the school and that the promotion exercise motivated them to perform their job better. Lastly, 40% of the participants reported that they were properly recognized and rewarded for job well done. Overall, this study showed that both monetary and non-monetary factors negatively and positively impacted on job satisfaction and performance of the participants in the selected high school. It is suggested that the management of the school should investigate these factors and come up with ways to address specific factors that would promote job satisfaction and performance as these could go a long way in enhancing quality of education at the school.

The article seeks to explore the factors which restrict doctoral graduate throughput rates at a selected University of Technology faculty located in the Western Cape, South Africa. In a developing economy like South Africa higher education qualifications are important as it is universally accepted that doctoral studies, in particular advance knowledge and innovation is important in any society. Furthermore, doctoral graduates play a significant role in the knowledge economy, promote innovation organisations, boost credibility of organisations and connect ideas between academia and industry. A positive nexus exists between a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the number of doctoral candidates produced. To achieve the aim of this article a qualitative interpretive design was adopted to identify the factors which restrict throughput rates and the extent or significance thereof. The locus for this study was a selected faculty in a University of Technology (UoT) located in the Western Cape, South Africa with the target research population delineated as employees who hold a master’s degree within the same faculty. Using qualitative interpretive design and thematic analysis of survey responses from 40 master’s-qualified employees, the study identifies key barriers and proposes targeted interventions. The forty participants were purposively selected to participate in the questionnaire survey. The paper will propose interventions to facilitate the improvement of the doctoral throughput rate premised on the analysis of the results arising from the questionnaire survey. The paper proposes targeted and contextualized interventions to address the systemic challenges restricting doctoral enrolment and completion by the faculty employees.

This study examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption in digital marketing enhances the competitiveness of small retail businesses (SRBs) in Cape Town, South Africa. Guided by an integrated Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, a systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted across eight databases, resulting in the inclusion of 37 empirical and conceptual studies published between 2015 and 2025. Findings show that AI adoption remains modest, with only 39% of small businesses planning to develop internal AI capabilities by 2025. The most common entry points are ChatGPT, text-to-image generators, predictive analytics systems, and WhatsApp-based chatbots. Businesses using these tools reported an average 11% increase in sales and a 28% reduction in marketing costs within six months. However, adoption is constrained by infrastructure challenges (patchy broadband, power cuts, high cloud costs), organisational limitations (low digital literacy, managerial scepticism, fear of automation), and socio-cultural barriers (language diversity and customer mistrust of chatbots). This study provides the first Cape Town-focused synthesis linking AI adoption to SME competitiveness through the TOE–UTAUT framework. It recommends policy measures to improve digital infrastructure and data governance, practical initiatives to strengthen AI literacy and ethical awareness, and theoretical extensions to contextualise socio-cultural dimensions of AI use. Collectively, these insights contribute to advancing inclusive, trust-based digital transformation in Cape Town’s small business ecosystem.

Agricultural production in semi-arid regions such as Opsoek, Ladismith Karoo faces numerous challenges, including water scarcity, low soil fertility and unpredictable weather patterns. Digital innovations, particularly precision farming and mobile extension systems have proven to be important tools in overcoming these challenges and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This case study examines the adoption and impact of precision farming technologies and mobile support services among farmers in Opsoek. The research combines field observations, interviews with local farmers and analysis of data on the use of mobile extension services. The results show that precision agriculture tools, such as soil moisture sensors, GPS-based field mapping and automatic irrigation systems, have significantly improved resource management and crop yields. In addition, mobile extension services improved farmers’ access to timely information on weather forecasts, pest control and best farming practices, thereby strengthening decision-making processes and reducing production risks. Despite the obvious benefits, the study notes that barriers remain, such as limited digital literacy, high costs of technological inputs and inadequate mobile network coverage, which hinder wider adoption among smallholder farmers. The study concludes that targeted digital literacy training, government support for affordable technology access and improved rural network infrastructure are essential to fully realize the potential of digital innovation in semi-arid agriculture. This study contributes to the growing body of literature highlighting the transformative role of digital technologies in improving agricultural productivity and resilience in water-scarce areas and provides practical insights for policy makers, development practitioners and agricultural technology innovators.