The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a new era in almost all spheres of life as it changed the traditional ways people used to operate. The world was compelled to quickly adjust to the challenging and changing times hence putting acid tests to governments' reactivity, budgets and adaptability. Business, travel, communication, transport, trade and all other spheres of human life were severely affected and the education sector was not spared either. The South African government had to adapt in such a tempestuous environment by shifting from offering the customary educational methods in both basic and higher education to electronic learning methods through the internet. While e-learning was already in operation in some of the South African academic institutions, it was, however, not homogeneous and compulsory, considering the economic disparities among its economically heterogeneous population. As the government was oblige