The rapid growth in information communication technology (ICT) usage has brought remarkable changes in higher education. Many higher education institutions around the globe are adopting e-learning platforms as one of the primary ways of delivering teaching and learning among students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, South African higher education institutions utilised the e-learning platform for effective collaborative teaching and learning between teachers and learners. This study investigates the factors that influenced the adoption of technology by first-year Walter Sisulu University (WSU) students. Interviews were conducted with students to explore their perceptions of the use of e-learning and what factors positively or negatively affected their e-learning experiences. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model was used to interpret the results. The findings show that, in general, the students have a very positive attitude towards e-learning, and they perceived that e-learning enhanced their educational experience. The communication aspect was especially important for historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa, as it facilitated a feeling of belonging to the global community of students and scholars and alleviated the former apartheid-torn country's isolation. However, some socio-cultural aspects of students' communities negatively affected their e-learning experience.