Factors Affecting the Adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies in Municipal Water Governance: A Case Study of a Selected Rural District Municipality

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution is disrupting all sectors of the economy, and the water sector is not spared. However, there remains a slow adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies within rural municipalities and there is limited research on the factors affecting technology adoption as a governance tool in water services authorities. Through the Technology Acceptance Model, the study investigated factors affecting the adoption of 4IR technologies in the rural district municipality’s water governance. The study adopted a qualitative approach and utilised a sample of twenty-eight participants purposefully selected. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and a thematic approach was used to analysed data. Findings revealed various factors such as deficiencies in infrastructure, Information Communication Technology equipment, funding, skills and lack of collaborations and partnerships are hindering the adoption of technology in the municipality to enhance water governance. The study concluded that these factors weaken both the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use which are the key determinants of the Technology Acceptance Model. The paper recommended the need for policy interventions with the need for government to support these water institutions through enabling conditions such as funding, infrastructure and capacity building to ensure that the municipality’s intentions are translated into actual behaviour and usage of technology.