arXiv subjects

Pitso Tsibolane

Publications and source records attributed to Pitso Tsibolane.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

AI-Powered Mental Health Chatbots in Africa: A Systematic Review and Culturally Adaptive Framework

Mental health challenges in Africa remain under-addressed due to inadequate infrastructure, stigma, and a chronic shortage of professionals. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots are emerging globally as low-cost, accessible tools that can offer psychological support. This paper presents a systematic review of 52 empirical studies published between 2017 and 2025, critically analysing their cultural, linguistic, and infrastructural relevance to African contexts. The findings demonstrate the potential of AI chatbots to improve accessibility, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and expand psychosocial support, yet reveal limited African-specific adaptation. Most systems remain rooted in Western models and English-language designs, leaving critical gaps in local relevance, inclusivity, and sustainability. Based on the findings, the authors develop a Culturally Adaptive Digital Mental Health (CADMH) framework that integrates African cultural values, multilingual design, mobile-first optimisation, and ethical safeguards. The study highlights opportunities and barriers for integrating AI chatbots into African healthcare, offering guidance for research, practice, and policy.

cs.AI↗

arXiv2026

Bridging the Analytics Divide: Retail Technology Diffusion in South Africa's Traditional Retail Sector

Retail analytics holds immense potential for enhancing decision-making, efficiency, and competitiveness in the retail sector. However, its adoption across traditional and hybrid retail industries in emerging markets remains inconsistent. This study examines the adoption of analytics technologies in South Africa's traditional retail sector, utilizing the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory. Drawing on a qualitative multi-case study of fifteen executives (n = 15) spanning three retail organizations, the study identifies technological constraints (legacy systems and lack of IT infrastructure), organizational barriers (limited analytic capability and cultural resistance), and environmental factors (regulatory uncertainty and socioeconomic inequality) as significant impediments to analytics adoption. Despite these challenges, findings reveal that phased analytics implementation, executive sponsorship, and alignment with core retail operations facilitate successful integration. The study provides a specialized framework for analytics diffusion in constrained environments and recommends strategies for policy and practice that align with the realities of developing economies.

cs.CY↗

arXiv2025

Beyond Accessibility: How Intelligent Assistive Technologies Improve Activities of Daily Life for Visually Impaired People in South Africa

Our study explores how intelligent assistive technologies (IATs) can enable visually impaired people (VIPs) to overcome barriers to inclusion in a digital society to ultimately improve their quality of life. Drawing on the Social Model of Disability (SMD), which frames disability as a consequence of social and institutional barriers rather than individual impairments, we employ semi-structured interviews and an online qualitative survey with n=61 VIPs in South Africa. Using descriptive statistics and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), we uncover nine configurations, clustered along three broader combinations of conditions, that support and hinder IAT-mediated inclusion. Most notably, we identify that the autonomy of VIPs and the accessibility of IATs are primary predictors of IAT's ability to achieve social participation. Our findings contribute to Information Systems (IS) literature at the intersection of technology and social participation. We further formulate implications for research and policymakers to foster social inclusion of VIPs in the Global South.

cs.CY↗

arXiv2024

Design-Reality Gap Analysis of Health Information Systems Failure

This study investigates the factors contributing to the failure of Health Information Systems (HIS) in a public hospital in South Africa. While HIS have the potential to improve healthcare delivery by integrating services and enhancing effectiveness, failures can lead to service interruptions, revenue loss, data loss, administrative difficulties, and reputational damage. Using semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, we employed a hybrid data analysis approach combining deductive analysis based on the Design- Reality Gap Model and inductive thematic analysis. Our findings highlight several factors contributing to HIS failures, including system capacity constraints, inadequate IT risk management, and critical skills gaps. Despite these challenges, end users perceive HIS positively and recommend its implementation for streamlining daily processes. This study underscores the importance of addressing design-reality gaps to improve HIS outcomes in public healthcare settings.

cs.CY↗

arXiv2024

Exploring the Cybersecurity-Resilience Gap: An Analysis of Student Attitudes and Behaviors in Higher Education

Cyberattacks frequently target higher educational institutions, making cybersecurity awareness and resilience critical for students. However, limited research exists on cybersecurity awareness, attitudes, and resilience among students in higher education. This study addresses this gap using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical framework. A modified Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire was employed to gather 266 valid responses from undergraduate and postgraduate students at a South African higher education institution. Key dimensions of cybersecurity awareness and behavior, including password management, email usage, social media practices, and mobile device security, were assessed. A significant disparity in cybersecurity awareness and practices, with postgraduate students demonstrating superior performance across several dimensions was noted. This research postulates the existence of a Cybersecurity-Education Inflection Point during the transition to postgraduate studies, coined as the Cybersecurity-Resilience Gap. These concepts provide a foundation for developing targeted cybersecurity education initiatives in higher education, particularly highlighting the need for earlier intervention at the undergraduate level.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2024

To Ban or Not to Ban: Uses and Gratifications of Mobile Phones among Township High School Learners

The proliferation of mobile phone usage among learners from diverse socio-economic backgrounds has prompted school authorities to contemplate banning these devices within educational institutions. This research seeks to explore the motivations and usage patterns of high school learners in response to the proposed ban. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we conducted surveys and interviews with 262 students from three township schools in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Grounded in the Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT), our study examined four key categories: reasons for mobile phone use, usage patterns, purchasing influences, and behavioral factors. Our findings reveal a predominant opposition among students to the ban, despite a significant number opting to leave their phones at home due to concerns about theft and robbery in their neighborhoods. Financial constraints, specifically the inability to afford data bundles and airtime, also contribute to this behavior. Notably, 40% of the participants reported using their phones for more than five hours daily, a duration classified as overuse in existing literature. The primary motivations for mobile phone use among these learners include socializing, internet browsing for non-educational purposes, and using the device for entertainment and recreation. This study highlights critical insights into the nuanced relationship between high school learners and mobile phone usage, offering valuable perspectives for policymakers and educators considering the implications of a mobile phone ban in schools.

cs.CY↗

arXiv2024

Beyond the Hype: A Cautionary Tale of ChatGPT in the Programming Classroom

Due to the proliferation of Large Language Models research and the use of various Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, the field of information systems (IS) and computer science (CS) has evolved. The use of tools such as ChatGPT to complete various student programming exercises (e.g., in Python) and assignments has gained prominence amongst various academic institutions. However, recent literature has suggested that the use of ChatGPT in academia is problematic and the impact on teaching and learning should be further scrutinized. More specifically, little is known about how ChatGPT can be practically used with code (programming) writing to complete programming exercises amongst IS and CS undergraduate university students. Furthermore, the paper provides insights for academics who teach programming to create more challenging exercises and how to engage responsibly in the use of ChatGPT to promote classroom integrity. In this paper, we used Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory as a theoretical guide to understand the various dynamics through classroom code demonstrations. Using ChatGPT 3.5, we analyzed the various practical programming examples from past IS exercises and compared those with memos created by tutors and lecturers in a university setting. This paper highlights common ways of assessment, programming errors created by ChatGPT and the potential consideration for IS academics to ensure the development of critical programming skills among students.

cs.CY↗