ICTs in development—who benefits? Use of geographic information systems on the Cato Manor Development project, South Africa

Abstract The focus on the digital divide raises important questions with regards to the global impact of information technology. Technical inequalities are, however, often embedded in the development project where access to technological knowledge becomes a determining factor in the development process. This paper aims to uncover the use of geographic information systems (GIS) on the Cato Manor Development Project in Durban, South Africa. The focus will be on an instant where the legitimacy of the project was challenged by former residents, removed from the area during the Apartheid era, and the role of information technology in resolving that conflict. The paper will show that GIS is not necessarily a value‐free tool, but can influence development decisions contrary to the expectations of those affected by it. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.