A Framework for Improved Planning of Rural Telecommunications Infrastructure: Implementation of the “Formulation of the Mess” Stage: A Case Study in KwaZulu Natal

This paper discusses the practical implementation of the first phase of a systemic framework for the planning of rural telecommunications infrastructure in developing countries. The framework as a whole was developed along the theory of critical systems thinking and consist of three essential phases adapted from Interactive Planning: the formulation of the current reality of a particular rural area with respect to rural telecommunications infrastructure (“The formulation of the mess”); the idealised design of the rural telecommunications system with benefits to all stakeholders (“The ends planning”); the means and resource planning and the implementation and control that is required to move the area from the current reality to the idealised design (“The leverage phase”). The practical implementation of the framework was done in a rural area in KwaZulu Natal. While an overview of the entire implementation is briefly provided this paper will however focus on the formulation of the mess phase providing, inter alia, a detailed analysis of its results. The contribution of the paper is in showing the importance of a systemic approach towards this phase of the planning for more appropriate rural telecommunications infrastructure.