Faculty of Computing and Informatics

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A MACHINE LEARNING-DRIVEN APPROACH FOR ACCIDENT PREDICTION AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ANALYSIS IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-12) Ngolo, Maria
Globally, road traffic accidents contribute a large portion of injuries, fatalities, and significant economic losses and ongoing research has projected that by 2030, car crashes would be the 5th top reason for loss of life around the world. The key cause of traffic accidents is hard to determine nowadays because of a complex mix of factors, such as road conditions, weather conditions, and the mental condition of the drivers, to list a few. Without a thorough understanding of the characteristics and causes, intelligence-led countermeasures to decrease crashes cannot be created or implemented. Therefore, if traffic accident characteristics can be better understood, it might be easier to take some mitigative action. Nowadays, the utility of machine learning methods in the field of road traffic crashes is gaining traction. The objective of this dissertation is to analyse historical data for a five-year period (2018-2023) and to understand the patterns in accident occurrences by making use of machine learning methods. Machine learning models as such Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbours, Association Rule Algorithm (AARA), and k-Clustering were employed on the dataset. The Apriori Association Rule algorithm explored the rules with high lift and high support, respectively. The research shows that the Random Forest model is the reliable model in predicting crash severity, reaching an accuracy of approximately 81%. Factors such as junction type, poor road sign conditions, uncontrolled traffic, weather, lighting, road surface, vehicle type, and driver behaviours were identified as the significant variables influencing road accidents. Pedestrian, rollovers, and collision are the leading crash causes of the road accidents, and they are associated with uncontrolled traffic and daylight. Additionally, the research shows notable differences in accident rates by region, month, year, day of the week, and hour of the day, underscoring the impact of geographical features, seasonal trends, and commuting habits on accident rates. The findings indicate that high traffic volumes and urban congestion are the main causes of the greatest accident rates in metropolitan areas, especially in the Khomas Region of Namibia. Further, more accidents are happening more toward the weekend as compared to weekdays and during night hours.
Are the financial transactions conducted inside virtual environments truly anonymous? An experimental research from an Australian perspective.
(Emerald, 2012) Irwin, Angela S. M.; Slay, Jill; Choo, Raymond K.-K.; Liu, Lin
This paper examines the identity and payment method verification procedures implemented by a number of popular massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and online financial service providers (OFSPs) to determine if the systems they currently have in place are sufficient to uncover the identities of those who may wish to use such environments to conduct money laundering or terrorism financing activity. The paper also investigates whether the payment instruments or methods used by account holders to place funds into their account(s) hinder or assist investigators to expose the real-world identity of the account holder. The paper then discusses whether it is feasible and/or desirable to introduce know your customer (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) legislation into virtual environments and illustrates an effective KYC approach which may assist MMOGs and OFSPs to correctly identify their account holders, should legislation be put in place.
ASSESSING THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AT THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, IMMIGRATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-05-04) KADHIKWA, SAKEUS IITA.
Internal communication has long been the lifeblood of successfully and effectively managed organizations, especially when such communication is strategically managed. Though literature has established the benefits of internal communication, especially when it comes to employee engagement, commitment, and improved corporate reputation, research assessing the strategic role of internal communication in government departments is limited. The aim of the study was to assess the strategic role of internal communication at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security in Namibia. To achieve this objective, four secondary objectives were pursued. The first secondary objective focused on examining the challenges faced by the Department of Home Affairs and Immigration in implementing the internal communication strategy. The second objective focused on analyzing the impact of internal communication on service delivery, while the third focused on internal communication and employee morale. The last objective examined the alignment between internal communication and the department’s strategy. Data for the study were collected using a structured interview guide. Face-to-face online were conducted with a conveniently selected sample of 25 participants. The methodology that was employed was a qualitative research approach that followed a case study research design. Several challenges affecting the effective implementation of the internal communication strategy were identified. Furthermore, it was noted that participants had mixed views about the role of internal communication and service delivery, as well as its strategic role in the organization. Based on these findings, the study makes recommendations and suggestions for future research.
ASSESSING THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICES OF THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION PENSION FUND (GIPF) OF NAMIBIA
(NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2022-01) KAPENDA, JAIRUS JULIUS
Social media have a significant role as a communication tool used by public relations practitioners in disseminating and sharing information as well as obtaining feedback from clients. When used effectively as a communication tool, social media can help address complaints, do market research to identify the needs of the clients and can help any organisation identify new market niches. Despite the essential role of social media, many organisations, including Government Institution Pension Fund (GIPF) Namibia are still not using social media to their maximum and are still opting for traditional methods of communication by the public relations practitioners. This study was conducted using a mixed-method approach. This study assessed the use of social media in public relations practices of the GIPF. The study adopted a quantitative approach, using a case study research design. The study population comprised GIPF staff members and clients. Hence, the sample consisted of 200 participants. A convenient sampling method was used to select a sample. A structured questionnaire with mixed questions collected both qualitative and quantitative data. The major findings of the study were that social media has a great impact on public relations practices and traditional social media platforms, notably Facebook, Instagram and Twitter remained popular. The recommendations were based on the research findings. Hence, the study recommends that various strategies can be used to enhance social media use and visibility. It was also recommended that public relations practitioners should be trained so that their awareness and use of social media is improved.
An attempt to merge local and technological paradigms in the digital representation of indigenous knowledge.
(IKTC, 2011) Kapuire, Gereon Koch; Blake, Edwin
Current technology trends and developments have hardly been informed by African indigenous and rural knowledge systems. Thus either substantial modifications are necessary in adapting technology to the requirements of indigenous knowledge systems or those systems are inadequately represented through technologies. This paper explores different options of organising video recorded indigenous knowledge in the pursuit of maintaining local communication patterns and practices. The evolutionary design of our indigenous knowledge management system is informed by a series of interactions and prototype evaluations with a pilot community in Eastern Namibia.
AN AUDIENCE ANALYSIS OF HOW THE YOUTH FACT-CHECK ‘FAKE NEWS’ CIRCULATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN OMBILI AND HOCHLAND PARK, NAMIBIA
(NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2021-07) HANGULA, RAFAEL. N
The proliferation of "fake news” have massive implications, especially at the times of elections. People who live in marginalised communities are the most exposed to fake news and least armed to decode coordinated information campaigns (information disorders). As a result, it may affect the practice of active citizenship by news consumers as their voting decisions may base on misconceptions. The net effect of this is that, their voting behaviours are done on the basis of highly distorted information whereby those who are most privileged are in a position to make voting decisions on the basis of truthful and credible information. This study explored how the youth in Namibia fact-checked news and information circulated on social media platforms during the 2019 electoral campaign. Firstly, it examined the major forms or types of fake news produced in Namibia before, during and soon after the elections. Secondly, it examined the criteria used by the youth in Ombili and Hochland Park to determine the truthfulness and accuracy of news and information. Thirdly, it assessed the newsworthy factors that the youth in Ombili and Hochland Park consider before sharing news on social media. This research employed virtual ethnography, qualitative content analysis,to understand, and document the types of fake news produced, and circulated in Namibia. Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs), and face-to-face interviews were then employed to get a sense of how young people sift through fake news. Grounded in Hall’s Encoding and Decoding model, fabricated contents, manipulated contents, misleading contents, conspiracy theories and imposter contents were observed in 2019 elections. The study revealed that there was systematic abuse of mainstream brands to spread information disorders to confuse and disorient voters. In addition, these types of fake news were fueled by the poor coordination, and delays in communication from the Electoral Commission. Most of the fake news were aimed at discrediting and casting aspersions on the candidature of Dr Hage Geingob of the Swapo Party, and Dr Panduleni Itula, who was an Independent Candidate at the time. This study found that young citizens’ ability to decode fake news is influenced by the level of education, literacy skills, class differences and media exposure as pointed out by Hall’s theory. Therefore, this study would add that availability of resources to fact check online news and information and political affiliation are also key in fighting fake news. The study recommends that government should ensure that its citizens have access to quality information through tasked institutions, to avoid fabrications, and distribution of information disorders, and provide a room for media and digital literacy campaigns in order to enhance skills of citizens of deconstructing coordinated information disorders, especially on social media platforms. News consumers need to embrace the concept fact checking before agreeing, and distributing information from social media as this would protect them from making decisions that are based on misconceptions, which could affect others.
AUTOMATED FRAUD DETECTION IN NAMIBIA’S PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS' FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS USING MACHINE LEARNING: A DEEP LEARNING APPROACH
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-12) Johannes, Pandeni Paavo
Financial fraud continues to be a significant concern in public-sector financial operations, undermining the credibility of financial statements and eroding public trust. Traditional methods used by financial experts, such as auditing, are frequently ineffective in addressing the growing complexity of fraudulent activities and effectively mitigating associated risks. This study aimed to tackle this issue by creating an automated fraud detection system based on deep learning designed for Namibia's public sector financial transactions. The Ministry of Finance provided the primary data for the study through the Office of the Auditor-General, which included accounts payable records from public entities with large transaction volumes for the fiscal years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The task of fraud detection is framed as a classification problem. The study explored three common deep learning models: Autoencoders, Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). These models' performance was evaluated using historical and simulated financial data, focusing on accuracy, inference time, and resource utilisation. A comparative analysis revealed that the CNN model performed exceptionally well, with the highest accuracy (0.95), F1-score (0.98), and lowest false positive rate (0.038). In contrast, the GAN model excelled in inference time (7.17 ms per transaction) and precision (0.99). This study proposes a scalable, data-driven approach to improving fraud detection in large public-sector financial datasets, thereby increasing accountability in Namibia's public financial systems.
A Bio-Immunology Inspired Security Model to Defend Industrial Control Systems from Advanced Persistent Threats
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2019-01) Chitauro, Mercy
Industrial Control Systems (ICS) control critical industrial processes. For example, there are ICS networks that control electricity, water distribution, food, and pharmaceutical and beverage production. Historically, ICS networks were safe from network attacks because they were not interconnected to business Information Technology (IT) networks and the Internet. However, with the passage of time, ICS were interconnected to business networks. Because traditional IT networks are built on the TCP/IP suite, ICS became susceptible to network attacks that already existed in TCP/IP networks and to ICS specific attacks. Successful attacks in ICS networks may compromise the ICS infrastructure, system configurations and components. ICS security standards and frameworks were drafted and approved by different organisations for use in the implementation of ICS security. ICS can be secured using these standards or any other means as recommended by ICS security experts. Even though ICS are secured using these recommended methods, they are still being successfully attacked by Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). APTs are targeted attacks which are successful because they do not attack any system that they might be in but become active in only those systems they were designed for. APTs have the ability to circumvent available security control and regular intrusion detection systems, and in addition, antiviruses are not able to detect APTs. There is no known technique available to identify APTs that attack ICS because APTs are discovered after they have been in the system for some time and usually only after they have executed their payload. Subsequently, this means that present ICS security implementations are not capable of defending ICS when they are attacked by APTs. By design, ICS security systems should be capable of defending ICS components from any attacks. They are likened to the biological immune system which is responsible for detecting and protecting the biological body from harmful microorganisms. The biological immune system’s most crucial function is that of preventing infections and eradicating already established
Can IK be communicated through foreign languages without losing its authenticity?
(IKTC2011, 2011) Muyingi, Hippolyte N.
In this paper, we present an open issue for panel discussion on the relation between the language of knowledge transfer and the contextual and peculiar nature of indigenous, traditional or local Knowledge itself. We highlight intriguing opinions from language education experts, linguistics researchers and other stakeholders, that raise a number of concerns to be considered at this early stage of research development in indigenous knowledge technology. If language is entwined with the knowledge system itself can IK then ever be transferred across languages? In other words does IK lose its authenticity and values through translations and foreign language media?
CO-DESIGNING A CYBERSECURITY PRACTICES FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSERVED RURAL COMMUNITIES
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2024-06-30) Nhinda, Gabriel Tuhafeni
The increasing ubiquity of digital technologies and the Internet has resulted in societies becoming heavily dependent on them for communication, healthcare, education, business operations, and social interaction. While digital transformation promises many benefits, it also presents significant challenges, particularly in ensuring safe and secure online participation. Cybersecurity, as a critical enabler of digital trust, is essential for inclusive and resilient digital societies. However, in underserved rural communities, especially in the Global South, cybersecurity practices remain largely unfamiliar due to limited telecommunications infrastructure, socio-economic inequality, and low digital literacy. This study addresses this gap by co-designing a cybersecurity practices framework with and for underserved rural communities. Rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, the research integrates elements of human-computer interaction (HCI), community engagement, and behavioural insights. A qualitative methodology was employed, using co-design sessions, focus group discussions, and interviews, to understand community-specific perceptions and practices of cybersecurity. The study draws on indigenous philosophies of Ubuntu and Uushiindaism to contextualise security as a communal, ethical, and relational construct. The framework was evaluated through a two-pronged process: expert focus groups (ex-post) and community-based co-design sessions (exante and ex-post). Evaluation centred on ecological utility—ensuring contextual relevance, cultural fidelity, sustainability, comprehensibility, and local ownership. The study further maps key actors and relationships influencing cybersecurity practices in rural contexts, including interactions with national agencies, community policing units, local radio, and ministries responsible for awareness and legislation. This research contributes to a more inclusive understanding of cybersecurity by recognising the socio-cultural dynamics that shape digital safety in underserved communities. It bridges the gap between globally dominant cybersecurity paradigms and the lived realities of rural African users. The framework empowers communities to engage confidently with technology, facilitates digital access to essential services, promotes skills transfer through seasonal resident engagement, and supports the preservation of indigenous languages. For policymakers, developers, and educators, it offers actionable insights into designing secure, contextually appropriate technologies for the margins while ensuring broader applicability across user groups.
Customer support design considerations for an information system. Paper presented at the 1st Namibia Customer Service Awards & Conference, 2014.
(NUST, 2014) Lazarus, Victoria; Nggada, Shawulu Hunira; Dheedan, Amer
The efficiency of an information system could be traced to its design. Typically, information systems are designed with immense focus on the business logic and direct users of such systems, and not the customers who may be the indirect users of the system. The problem associated with such design is that it is not customer inclusive and this deficiency would over time lead to customer dissatisfaction. In safety-critical systems, the users and customers are both taken into account while designing the system. This practice is less pronounced in the design of information systems. This paper identifies the similarities and dissimilarities between a user and a customer, investigates an approach to designing information systems that supports the needs of customers and finally develops an architectural framework in line with a customer-centred design for an information system.
Demonstration of a cultural indigenous knowledge transfer prototype
(IKTC, 2011) Rodil, Kasper; Eskildsen, Søren; Rehm, Matthias
We present our prototype 3D visualization that enables people to place video recordings of their traditional knowledge. We demonstrate the process of developing and evaluating the prototype. We show how our prototype might combat a cultural gap between youths and elders and also hope to ignite ideas about how such a system can be used rurally and how further testing can be optimized to avoid a cultural gap in the test methods.
DESIGNING A BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE SECURITY AWARENESS MODEL FOR MOBILE DEVICE USERS IN NAMIBIAN ENTERPRISES
(NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2023-05-30) Shihepo, Ester
The phrase Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) also known as Dual-Use Devices is a mutual practice which has increased employees’ access to new mobile technologies and a rising trend within many organisations. The concept refers to employers allowing their employees to bring their personal mobile devices to workplaces and use them as their workstations. Enterprises are enjoying the benefits of BYOD, which allows them to cut operational costs as they do not need to purchase computers for their employees. Employees are enjoying the comfort and convenience offered by BYOD; however, this exposes organisations to security breaches. There is currently a lack of security awareness among mobile device users within enterprises against BYOD cyber threats. The situation has made it difficult for organisations to monitor the usage of resources among the mobile users towards protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of corporate data. Moreover, cyber attackers see more potential with mobile devices as company and personal data get mixed up on such devices. Although the BYOD concept has not been formally implemented within the enterprise, it does not mean that the enterprise data is not prone to attackers. This study presents a BYOD Security Awareness Model designed following Design Science Research methods based on findings of a single case study conducted in one of the enterprises in Windhoek, Namibia. Qualitative research following the interpretivism philosophy was used. To select participants, purposeful random sampling method was used for this study. Data was collected using interviews, a questionnaire and through literature review. Furthermore, the study implemented the qualitative content analysis as the data analysis technique. The study identified malware and network spoofing as some of the BYOD related threats affecting the case enterprise. The researcher observed lack of end user awareness on BYOD security as a cause of BYOD related security threats. The study identified four main components of the model namely: BYOD threats, security awareness, policy and access control. The BYOD security awareness model will be a guideline to Namibian enterprises in creating BYOD security awareness among their mobile devices with the aim to safeguard the organisational data. Furthermore, the findings will also contribute to the new technology horizon of Namibia’s future BYOD security awareness by motivating enterprises to implement mechanisms that will protect the enterprise confidential information. Since Namibia is reported as one of the least ranked countries in Africa in terms of cyber security, the model is a guideline on how enterprises can create BYOD security awareness among users within their enterprises and improve their security posture as well as that of the nation. Additionally, the model will also contribute to the BYOD security awareness knowledge to researchers and practitioners through conference papers and thesis publication.
DESIGNING A CLOUD BASED ELEARNING IMPLEMENTATION MODEL FOR HIGHER AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2017-02) Chitauro, Shadreck
Main stream academic institutions are aiming to improve from past trends and venturing into new emerging technologies for quality delivery of teaching and learning. One of these trends that enhance teaching and learning is termed eLearning. ELearning is when teaching and learning is facilitated through the use of information communication technologies. ELearning is highly popular because it is flexible, it supports self-paced learning, and learners can access learning material anywhere, anytime and in the absence of the instructor. The problem with eLearning is that of managing data, ensuring security, limited server space, infrastructure sourcing and expensive maintenance. In addition to these problems, most academic institutions in the developing world are unable to fully finance eLearning systems and the skills for the support of these systems. Higher and tertiary institutions in Namibia which also use eLearning in their day to day teaching and learning activities are faced with slow bandwidth challenges. However, cloud computing can ease the financial burdens and reduce support issues brought about by lack of information technology skills and infrastructure. A qualitative case study at one Namibian tertiary institution was used in which interviews and experiments were used to obtain data. ELearning administrators at the case site were interviewed and it was established that at this tertiary institution the eLearning system also experiences infrastructure problems, support issues due to lack of expertise and insufficient human resources. In addition, their eLearning server reduces performance as the number of concurrent users connecting to it increases. Thus, migrating to a public cloud would solve most of these issues but there was no concrete plan as to how to migrate to cloud. Consequently, this research used design science research to design a cloud based implementation model for higher and tertiary institutions in Namibia so that academic institutions can seamlessly migrate to cloud. An experimental cloud was setup using a cloud based implementation model. The results of the experiment proved that the biggest challenge being faced by this tertiary institution’s eLearning server can be overcome. One of the challenges that could be solved is that the server is slow due to the ratio of RAM on the server, which is not proportionally adequate to the number of users. Most eLearning technical challenges and technical support challenges were solved. The use of cloud computing was proposed as a solution to these challenges.
Designing a Health Information System Adoption Roadmap for Quality Healthcare in Namibia
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2019-07) Mutelo, Sinte Christabel
The Ministry of Health and Social Service (MoHSS), as part of the government of The Republic of Namibia and with the help of Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs), has implemented Health Information Systems (HIS) within its different directorates to maximise the quality of care. Healthcare Information Systems offer benefits such as improving service delivery, providing real-time information, reducing organisation and personnel costs, and improving the quality of patient care. However, these benefits may not be seen in organisations where systems implementation and the adoption of policies and procedures are not adequately custom-made for systems users. Currently, the MoHSS has over 60 systems within its different directorates, with some functional and some not. Furthermore, there is no roadmap to guide the Ministry in the planning and adopting of HIS and the integration of existing systems donated by NGOs. Hence, to ensure maximised potential of the HIS, the MoHSS should have a clearly documented and ready-for-implementation roadmap that can serve as a strategic guide to the implementation of HIS. This research provides a roadmap which will guide HIS adoption to enhance quality healthcare in Namibia. Based on the research objectives, a qualitative method approach was selected. A case study strategy was adopted for the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Interviews, documents, and questionnaires were used to collect data about the case studies. Activity Theory (AT) was applied during data analysis. AT provided a deeper understanding about employees and technologies that could affect the development of a roadmap. The findings showed that governance, stakeholder involvement, HIS strategic plans, HIS experts and IS infrastructures are factors to take into consideration in the adoption of HIS by the Ministry. A roadmap for the implementation of HIS was developed based on the interpretation of the data. The roadmap provides a guide for the planning, selection, implementation, and adoption of HIS to produce quality healthcare services in Namibia.
Designing a mobile application to increase open data awareness and consumption in Namibia: A best practice example of public transportation in Windhoek
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2016-09-16) Amugongo, Lameck, M.
Over the past few years, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in the way public data is administered. The need to effectively manage public data has led to an increased adoption of open data initiatives by many governments. Open data is an initiative that advocates for public data to be freely available for all to use and redistribute without restrictions. However, lack of awareness about opportunities and the benefits of open data among citizens, as well as the steadfastness of governments to control certain public data are some of the challenges facing open data initiatives. Nevertheless, high mobile internet penetration and the effectiveness of persuasive computing present an opportunity to alleviate these challenges and unleash open data potential. Furthermore, the power of persuasive technologies such as mobile applications to influence and change user behaviours present even greater opportunities to create awareness on a larger scale. This study proposes a mobile application as a best practice example to increase awareness, persuade both government and citizens to change their attitudes towards open data and therefore increase the use of public data in Namibia. The developed mobile application using public bus stops geolocation data aims at improving access to public transportation services within the City of Windhoek. The obtained results show that the application could extract stops and routes, and schedule information from the database as well as display them to the user. However, the application could not track buses in real time.
Designing an algorithm that can influence children’s behaviour online and raise their cyber security awareness.
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2020-12-18) Kavikairiua, Jennyphar
The Internet offers children incredible opportunities by enhancing their communication, social connections and technical skills. But it can't just guarantee them a secure environment. With no experience and knowledge, children's behaviours potentially expose them to cyber criminals as they share information innocently and become friends with strangers. Cyber security threats are highly present in social media and many people don't know about them. In particular, children voluntarily reveal personal and private details about themselves from which cybercrimes can emerge either in their real world or in the virtual world, if this shared information ends up in the wrong hands. This is most likely due to previous knowledge or exposure of the children on the Internet. This study sought to examine the online habits and actions of children who are vulnerable to cybercrimes and evaluated suitable behaviour influencing tools for children’s online activities. Employing a design science research method began with a comprehension of the problem. This was achieved by analysing the literature and the research findings that were self-constructed, as well as the use of open-ended questionnaires and close-ended questions. Once the problem was identified, the next step was to identify ideas which could solve the problem. These ideas were taken from the domains which were considered important to solve the problem. The behaviour influencing algorithm was then designed and evaluated following the literature and persuasion theory, as a solution to overcome the children’s insecure behaviour problem online. The vital contribution of the research is that it can benefit children that will be introduced to this algorithm by influencing and assisting them on how to securely behave online. In addition, the thesis provides contributions to the knowledge base by identifying and analysing the online activities and behaviours of children which can expose children to cybercrimes and it also provided some guidelines on how to influence children’s online behaviour, which can be used elsewhere in the world.
Designing an Automated e-Readiness Assessment Tool to Assess Local Authorities in Namibia
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2019-01) Cloete, Angelo
E-Readiness assessments have been identified as a pre-requisite for successful systems implementations and therefore it is a pre-requisite for e-Government as well. It is however difficult to use existing e-Readiness assessment tools as most have been designed to cater for a specific context. In the absence of previous assessments, the level of e-Readiness of local authorities in Namibia is undetermined. The aim of the study is to design an automated assessment tool to assess the level of e-Readiness of Local Authorities, focusing in particular on the Municipality of City of Windhoek. This assessment will be carried out using the newly designed automated assessment tool. Two online surveys were designed and conducted. One was specifically designed for the Information Communication Technology Department and another one was designed for the staff members of all other departments. The surveys measured the e-Readiness of the Local Authority in terms of online service provision, its computer systems, hardware/network infrastructures and the skills set of employees. The findings indicate that the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in research efforts, greatly improves the process, as the automated e-Readiness assessment tool delivered faster assessments and at a lesser cost. The results from the automated assessment tool shows that it can be used to measure e-Readiness at different Local Authorities.
Designing an Interactive Game for Preventing Online Child Abuse in Namibia
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2018-12) Muntuumo, Josephina
In the wake of digitalisation, technology has changed the world, connecting people with information and services at the touch of a finger. Regular Internet access, smartphones and other technological advances have made the world a global village by bringing people from various geographical locations together. Despite the positive changes, the pace and scale of this technological revolution have created space for nefarious actors. Identity theft, data breaches, fake news, phishing and hacking are among the many dangers many people face online. Namibia has been grappling with issues centering on cyber security education, policy and lack of online safety awareness. In recent years, Namibia has experienced cybercrime, money laundering and child abuse initiated on the online platform. As such, this study developed an interactive video game to teach online safety in Namibia to combat online child abuse. An online survey, game design challenge workshops, and focus groups were used to gather information. A total of 84 relevant stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, and game developers) participated in two game design challenge workshops and alpha and beta testing sessions. These workshops followed a solid co-design practice. We designed and developed two Namibian inspired game prototypes that were combined into one game which was implemented and tested during this study. All the game prototypes followed an iterative process of information gathering and sharing stories of online inappropriate behaviours, drawing storyboards, designing wireframes, and testing with cognitive walkthroughs and a think-aloud protocol, alpha and beta testing. The final game is called Onlinicus- Share your Story versioned in 2D and 3D respectively. The uniqueness of this game comes from the scenario design as the game concept is entirely story based. The use of predefined personas and utilising participants’ own stories contributed to the richness of the stories and games developed.
Designing multimodal biometrics framework for the Namibian government.
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2015-12) Erastus, Licky Richard
As technology evolves, the once reliable traditional authentication and verification systems are now open to a number of security threats, some of which may not be combated by these old or traditional security measures. For instance, Personal Identification (PIN) Numbers and passwords that are normally used to authenticate system users are vulnerable to shoulder surfing and systematic trial-and-error attacks. Cases have since been reported in Namibia in which people have lost personal belongings worth thousands of dollars as a result of information security breaches. In response to these security breaches, different technologies have been proposed with the aim to authenticate users, verify and or detect any possible fraud activities. Among these are firewalls, encryption and biometrics. Biometrics offer reliable identification mechanisms compared to other technologies due to their uniqueness and difficulty to be emulated. Regardless of the tremendous advances in biometric technology, the recognition systems based on the measurement of single modality (mono-modal) cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. Accordingly, multimodal systems based on multiple uncorrelated biometric signatures or traits offer more robustness in terms of recognition accuracy and handling of poor quality biometric samples. The research used a qualitative research approach. For data collection, questionnaires, interviews, observations and document analysis were employed. A multiple case study strategy was used for data collection to ensure validity through data triangulation. Three Namibia ministries were selected as case sites as they are among the security critical sectors of the nation where the use of biometrics is imperative. Results have shown that a number of biometrics is used in government departments in Namibia. However, the usage is still a bit low and a lot is required for citizens to trust and use biometrics. The major challenges in biometrics usage have been identified as a lack of technical skills, a lack of appropriate budget, too dynamic, social challenges and a lack of supporting policies. This study argues that even if these challenges are addressed, one biometric may not be reliable and very secure. The purpose of this research is to share possible biometrics that can be combined and used concurrently to address the identified security challenges. This saw the designing of a multimodal biometrics framework for the Namibian government.

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