Digitalisation and Democracy: Optimistic and Pessimistic Views from South Africa

The growth of digital technologies worldwide and a surge in Internet usage have undoubtedly transformed how society is organised. Democracy as a system of governance has also not been spared from this latest development. Many governments in liberal societies, including South Africa, have been exploring the use of the latest technologies to benefit citizen engagement and improve service delivery. This chapter explores three main scholarly debates to determine whether digital transformation strengthens democracy or leads to civic decline in South Africa. Through a review of existing literature, the chapter argues for an optimistic approach. It concludes that despite obvious concerns about digitalisation, South Africa cannot afford to ignore the potential benefits of digitalisation to its democracy.