Great news: Govt plans to ‘give 10GB free data to ALL South Africans’ – every month!
The ANC says it’s planning to tackle one of the most expensive consumer costs on the market – by handing out free data to the entire country.
That’s more like it. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has informed the public that the government is planning to treat internet access as a ‘new basic utility’. During her speech at the SONA Debate, the senior ANC politician revealed that a ‘major free data rollout‘ is now on the cards.
Free data for all South Africans? That’s an ANC promise…
Of course, we expect the cynics to come out in full force: A promise from an ANC government is no guarantee, after all. But the minister is steadfast in her belief that data should be considered an essential service, like water and electricity.
During her time on the podium, Ntshavheni explained that the potential delivery of data would be for EVERY South African household – be they rich, poor, or somewhere in the middle. It’s understood that 10GB would be shared with all households in Mzansi each month, giving tens of millions of citizens unimpeded access to the internet:
“Data has become a new utility like water and electricity that our home needs. At some point, a South African household, despite whether they are rich or poor, will be given access to 10GB per month, because that is what the government will deliver, and this is what we intend to do.”
Khumbudzo Ntshavheni
Internet access ‘has become a basic human right’
Of course, details do remain sketchy at this point – and such a promise didn’t even feature in President Ramaphosa’s SONA speech last week. It probably won’t be a policy that is enacted immediately.
However, this is very much a signal of intent from the ANC, who now have some exceedingly high expectations to live up to. In this case, the party will be judged by actions, rather than its words.
“We intend to provide 10 gigabytes of free data for each an every household” – Minister of Minister of Communications & Digital Technologies Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni addressing a Joint Sitting during #SONA2022 debate. pic.twitter.com/GoO2OZ1WaS
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) February 15, 2022