Department of Communication Science

Prof B Mbatha

College of Human Sciences
School of Arts
Department: Communication Science
Professor
Tel: 012 429 8264
E-mail: mbathbt@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • PhD (Information Studies) Education: University of Zululand - 2011
  • Masters (Sociology) Qualification: University of Zululand- 2011
  • Honours (Communication Science) Qualification: University of Zululand- 2002
  • BA Degree in Communication Science (Cum laude): University of Zululand-2001
  • Certificate in Open Distance & e-Learning (Education) Education
  • Open Distance & e-Learning (Education) Qualification
  • Certificate: Technology in Distance Education and E-learning: University of Maryland University College (UMUC): 2013-2014
  • Certificate: Assessor Training: Univ. of South Africa: 2012

Fields of academic interests

  • New media
  • Public relations
  • ICTs
  • Web design
  • E-government
  • E-commerce
  • E-learning
  • Open Distance Learning
  • Knowledge management
  • Social informatics

Field of Specialisation

  • New media
  • Public relations
  • ICTs
  • E-government
  • E-learning
  • Open Distance Learning
  • Social informatics

Books

  • Mbatha, B.T. & Lesame, N.C. (2013). South African Technology Issues and Policies: South Africa information society policy. Dudweiler Landstr: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG& Co. KG.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2012). Barriers that impede the effectiveness of precautionary measures for curbing HIV and AIDS. Dudweiler Landstr: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG& Co. KG.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2011). The diffusion of social informatics in South African government departments. Dudweiler Landstr: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG& Co. KG.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Lesame, N.C. & Sindane, S. (2010). New Media in the information society (eds). Pretoria: Van Schaik. 

Book Chapters:

  • Mbatha, B.T. & Mbatha, M.P. (2013). E-learning: The Power Source of Transforming the LearningExperience in an ODL Landscape. In Kurosu, M. (Ed.): Human-Computer Interaction, Part II, HCII2013, LNCS 8005, pp. 454--463. Springer: Heidelberg.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2013). Digital television transition in South Africa: paradoxes and dilemmas. In Moahi,K.H., Mazebe, P.M., Sebina, M. and Bwalya, K.J. (eds) Digital Access and E-Government:Perspectives from Developing and Emerging Countries, London: IGI Global, pp 47-63.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Naidoo, L., & Ngwenya, B. (2011). Complexities of e-learning in an ODL environment:The experience of students at the University of South Africa. In Ocholla, DN. & Britz, J. (eds) Researchissues in information studies in a changing local and global environment. Some African perspective.Dudweiler Landstr: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG& Co. KG., pp 138-147.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). Internet Addiction Disorder. In Lesame, NC, Mbatha, BT., & Sindane, S. (eds).New media in the information society, Pretoria Van Schaik, pp. 193-202.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). New media and cyber-crimes. In Lesame, NC, Mbatha, BT., & Sindane, S. (eds). New media in the information society, Pretoria Van Schaik, pp. 181-191.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). Uses of the Internet. In Lesame, NC, Mbatha, BT., & Sindane, S. (eds). New media in the information society, Pretoria Van Schaik, pp. 59-71.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Lesame, NC, & Ngwenya, B. (2010). International media and services: digital broadcasting television and radio. In Lesame, NC, Mbatha, BT., & Sindane, S. (eds). New media in the information society, Pretoria Van Schaik, pp. 143-161.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Lesame, N.C. (2010). New media and Development. In Lesame, NC, Mbatha, BT., &Sindane, S. (eds). New media in the information society, Pretoria Van Schaik, pp. 163-179.

Journal articles

  • Mbatha, BT. (2023). Community Technology Centres as Bridges to Foster Social and Digital Equality amongst the Youth in South Africa. Commonwealth Youth & Development, 21(1). 1-19.
  • Mbatha, B. (2022). Social Networking Sites: A panacea for enhancing productivity in the organisation during Covid-19 crisis, the case of tourism SMEs in South Africa. Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa, 41(1), 35-45.
  • Mbatha, BT. (2022). Community Technology Centres as Bridges to Foster Social and Digital Equality amongst the Youth in South Africa. Commonwealth Youth & Development, 21(1). 1-20.
  • Mbatha, BT. (2022). Digital Communication Recovery Strategy for Business Continuity amid Covid-19: Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises in Gauteng. South African Journal of Information Studies, 41(1), 1-18.
  • Amankwah, A. S., & Mbatha, B. T. (2021). Interactivity gratifications: Millennials’ motivations in using new media technology for political communication about elections. Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa, 40(1), 107-128.
  • Mbatha, B., & Ngwenya, B. (2020). Epidemiology and Phenomenology of Compulsive Use of Technology: The Technological Saturation of South African Youth. Commonwealth Youth & Development, 18(2). 1-20.
  • Amankwah, AS. & Mbatha, BT. (2019) Unlocking the Potential of New Media Technologies for Political Communication about Elections in Ghana. South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research, 12(2), 23-45.
  • Adjin-Tettey, TD. & Mbatha, BT. (2019). Digital natives’ appropriation of new media technologies: a survey of literature. Covenant Journal of Communication, 6(2), 47-71.
  • Mbatha, BT & Ngwenya, B. (2019). The impact of disruptive ICT innovations on South African Youth Commonwealth Youth and Development. Commonwealth Youth & Development. 23(2), 23-45.
  • Mbatha, BT & Ngwenya, B. (2018). Pushing the agenda of information society: ICT diffusion in selected multipurpose community telecentres in South Africa. African Journal of Business and Economic Research. 30(1): 1–23.
  • Mbatha, BT & Ngwenya, B. (2018). Epidemiology and phenomenology of compulsive use of technology: The technological saturation of South African Youth. Commonwealth Youth & Development. 23(2):23-45.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2015). Diffusion and adoption of ICTs in South African telecentres, the case of selected telecentres in the KwaZulu-Natal province. South African Journal of Information Studies. 33(1): 103–120.
  • Mbatha, BT. (2015). Mapping and auditing digital literacy competencies of civil servants in selected South African government departments. Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa. 33(2): 40–62.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2015). A paradigm shift: adoption of disruptive learning innovations in an ODL environment: the case of the University of South Africa. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 16(2): 40-54.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2014). Obstacles to HIV prevention, treatment and care in selected public universities in South Africa, African Journal of AIDS Research. 10(1): 20-35.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2014). "Global transition in higher education: from the traditional model of learning to a new socially mediated model, the case of the University of South Africa". International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 12(2): 25-36.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2013). Exploring the potential of electronic commerce tools in South African SME tourism service providers, Information Development, 29(1): 1–23.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2013). Unpacking for sequential modes of knowledge conversion in managing indigenous knowledge. African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 12(2): 171-187.
  • Mbatha, BT & Lesame, NC (2013). Diffusion and adoption of Information and Communication Technologies in the public sector: the case of selected government departments in KwaZulu-Natal. Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa, 32(2): 40–62.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2013). Adoption of web-based technologies in pursuit of work productivity and creativity within the public sector in South Africa. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, 32(1): 23-35.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Lesame, N.C. (2013). South Africa goes digital: possible obstacles to the adoption of digital television, The African Journal of Information Systems. 12(1): 21-35.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2013). Facebook: the power source of transforming the learning experience. International Journal for e-Learning Security, 3(1 & 2): 23-39.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2012). The contribution of Traditional Healers to halting the spread of HIV and AIDS in South Africa: The case of Soshanguve Township in the City of Tshwane, African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems. 11(1): 165–173.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2012). A user perspective on the web usage in selected South African public universities, International Journal of Arts and Commerce.1(3): 1-15.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Manana, K.P.P. (2012). Students’ perceptions on the use of Facebook in an ODL landscape, Progressio, 34(1): 13–26.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Ocholla, D.N. & Le Roux, J. (2011). Some implications of Information and Communication Technologies on public service work environments in South Africa. Information Development. 27(4):47–62.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Ocholla, D.N. (2011). Contextualising the use of ICTs in the public sector, the case of selected government departments in KwaZulu-Natal. South African Journal of Information Studies. 29(2): 193–208.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). Traditional healers and HIV and AIDS prevention and care in South Africa: the case of Mahlabathini District in KwaZulu-Natal. African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems. 9(2): 265–273.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Naidoo, L. (2010). Problems hampering the collapse of distance in ODL, Progressio. 32(1): 170–184.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Naidoo, L. (2010). Bridging the transactional gap in Open Distance Learning (ODL): The case of the University of South Africa. Inkanyiso, Journal Humanities and Social Sciences. 2(1): 64–69.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2009). Web-based technologies as key catalysts in improving work productivity and creativity: the case of Zululand District Municipality. Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa. 28(2): 82–95.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2009). Barriers that impede the effectiveness of precautionary measures of combating the spread of HIV and AIDS, the case of the University of Zululand and Mangosuthu University of Technology. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Faculty of Arts.1(1): 44–53.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Dlamini P.N. (2004). A report on the 3rd ProLISSA/DISSAnet Conference, 28-29th October 2004, Pretoria, South Africa. South African Journal of Libraries & Information Science, 71(2): 201–203.

Paper presentations

2015

  • Mbatha, BT. (2015). Disruptive Innovations as change agents in collapsing the transactional distance in an open distance learning. The Education Conference, Clute Institute, Puerto Rico. The USA, 22-26 March 2015.

2014

  • Mbatha, B.T. (2014). Emerging technologies as catalysts in enhancing education in an ODeL environment, the case of the University of South Africa, to be presented at Anglo-American Conference, University of London, 4-7 November 2014.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Selekane, N. (2014). Web2.0 approaches as catalysts in collapsing the transactional distance in an ODL environment, the case of Unisa, to be presented at SACOMM, North-West University, 30-3 November 2014.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2014). Global Transition in Higher Education: From the Traditional Model of Learning to a New Socially Mediated Model. In proceedings of the 2014 HCI International conference, 22-27 June 2014, Crete, Greece.

2013

  • Mbatha, B.T. & Mbatha, M.P. (2013). E-Learning: The Power Source of Transforming the Learning Experience in an ODL Landscape. Lecture Notes in Computer Science series, Vol. 8005. In proceedings of the HCII conference, 21-27 July 2012, Las Vegas, USA.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Babalwa, S., Netanda, S., Nkuna, J., & Selekane, N. (2013). New media as pedagogical tools in an ODL environment: the case of the University of South Africa. In Proceeding of the 2013 SACOMM conference, Port Elizabeth – NMMU, South Africa, 25-27 September 2013.

2012

  • Mbatha, B.T. (2012). Mapping and auditing of ICT adoption in selected government departments in South Africa. In proceedings of the Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology 2012, University of Southampton, UK, 26-30 March 2012.
  • Mbatha, B.T. and Naidoo, L. (2012). The use of technology towards effective tuition in open distance learning. In proceedings of the IAMCR 2012 Conference, Durban, on 15-19 July 2012, South Africa.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2012). Pursuit of effective pedagogy through Facebook in an ODL landscape. In proceedings of the 12th Information Studies Conference, University of Zululand, South Africa, Richardsbay, 10-12 September 2012.

2011

  • Mbatha, B.T., Ocholla, D.N. & Le Roux, J. (2011). Some implications of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on public service work environments in South Africa. In proceedings of the 2011 Progress in Library and Information Science in Southern Africa (ProLISSA) Conference, the University of South Africa, 9-11 March 2011.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2011). Hindrances to the exploitation of ICTs by Tourism SME Service Providers in South Africa: The Case of Tourism SMEs in the City of Tshwane. In proceedings of the 2nd ICEME Conference, Florida, Orlando, USA, 27-30 March 2011.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Manana, K.P.P (2011). The use of an online radio in an Open Distance Learning landscape: The case of the University of South Africa, In proceedings of SACOMM conference held at Unisa from 29-31 August 2011, South Africa.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Naidoo, L., Muchengethwa, S., Chokwe, M. and Manana, KPP. (2011). An investigation into the institutional response of public universities in South Africa to HIV and AIDS. In proceedings of the CHS HIV and AIDS Conference 2011, Unisa, Pretoria, 17 – 19 October 2011.

2010

  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). Prevalence of internet addiction disorder in government departments in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. In proceedings of the Spring 8th International Conference on Computing, Communications and Control Technologies, Orlando, Florida USA, 6-9 April 2010.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). Diffusion of ICTs and e-commerce adoption by tourism SME service providers in South Africa: The case of tourism SMEs in the City of Tshwane. In proceedings of the International Conference on Information Management and Evaluation, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 25-26 March 2010.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Manana, K.P.P. (2010). Students’ perceptions on the use of Facebook in an ODL institution: The case of Unisa. In proceedings of the SACOMM Conference. The University of Johannesburg, 27-29 September 2010.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2010). Contextualising barriers to the exploitation of ICTs by Tourism SME Service Providers in South Africa: The Case of Tourism SMEs in the City of Tshwane. In proceedings of the 12th annual conference on World Wide Web Applications. 21-23 September 2010, Durban, South Africa

2009

  • Mbatha, B.T. (2009). Contextualizing negative consequences posed by ICT adoption in institutions of higher learning in KwaZulu-Natal, a symposium held at the Department of Communication Science, Room 7-68, TvW, the University of South Africa on 20 May 2009.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2009). Web-based technologies as a double-edged sword in improving work productivity and creativity in government departments in South Africa: The case of KwaZulu-Natal. In proceedings of the CIE39 International conference on Computers & Engineering, 6-8 July 2009, University of Technology of Troyes, France.
  • Mbatha, BT. & Lesame, Z. (2009). Web-based information sources versus print-based information sources: The case of University of Zululand. In proceedings of the 11 Annual Conference on ZAWWW applications at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 2-4 September.
  • Mbatha, BT. & Lesame, Z. (2009). Broadcasting digital migration in South Africa: Towards the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and beyond. In proceedings of the SACOMM 2009 conference, 16-9-2009 at the North-West University Potchefstroom.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2009). Researching the impact of Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) in government departments in KwaZulu-Natal. In proceedings of the 11 Annual Conference on ZAWWW applications at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 2-4 September.
  • Mbatha, B.T., Naidoo, L. & Ngwenya, B. (2009). Complexities of e-learning in an ODL environment: The experience of students at the University of South Africa. In proceedings of the 10th Department of Library and Information Science (DLIS) conference, University of Zululand, South Africa, 10-11 September.
  • Mbatha, B.T. & Naidoo, L. (2009). Bridging the transactional distance in Open Distance Learning: The case of Unisa. In proceedings of the 3rd Arts conference at the University of Zululand in South Africa on 14-15 September.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2009). Primary factors impeding the adequate use of print-based information sources in tertiary institutions: The case of the University of Zululand. In proceedings of the 10th Department of Library and Information Science (DLIS) conference, University of Zululand, South Africa, 10-11 September.

2008

  • Mbatha, B.T., Adigun, M.O. & Kubeka, M.P. (2008). Mapping and auditing the impact of Web-based Technologies in civil services in KZN: the case of Pietermaritzburg. In proceedings of the 10th Annual Conference on World Wide Web Applications. 3-5 September 2008, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Mbatha, B.T. (2008). Barriers that impede the effectiveness of precautionary measures of HIV and AIDS in tertiary institutions in KZN. In proceedings of the 3rd Arts Conference, University of Zululand, 16 September 2008.

2005

  • Mbatha, B.T., Ocholla, D.N. & Adigun, M. (2005). Interaction and Impact of the Web in the Public Sector in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A Pilot Study of uMhlathuze City/Area. In proceedings of the 8th LIASA Annual Conference, RETIG Symposium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 26 September.

2004

  • Mbatha, B.T. (2004). Conceptualising and Contextualising Social Informatics. Literature Review: In proceedings of the 4th LIASA Conference, Polokwane- South Africa, 25th September to 1st October 2004. 

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • Chair of Department: Communication Science (Unisa): 2015-2018
  • Full Professor (Unisa): 2016
  • Associate Professor (Unisa): 2014-2015
  • Senior Lecturer (Unisa): 2012-2013
  • Lecturer (Unisa): 2010-2011
  • Junior Lecturer (Unisa): 2008-2009

Projects

  • 2020-2023 Challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in tertiary institutions and their survival mechanisms
  • 2013-2016: New media as pedagogical tools in an ODL environment.
  • 20013 E-skilling of South Africans at urban and rural e-community forums and Thusong Services Centres. 
    2011 to 2012: An investigation into the institutional response of public universities in South Africa to HIV and AIDS.
  • 2009-2010: The ODL experience of undergraduates in the Department of Communication Science at Unisa.
  • 2010: The use of social networking sites in pursuit of effective pedagogy in an Open Distance Learning institution