CAPE TOWN – Government is exploring cheaper data alternatives for South Africans.
Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said that her department was meeting with mobile operators in a bid to find ways to lower the cost of data.
Earlier this month, the Competition Commission recommended that service providers reduce the price of data or face prosecution.
The commission’s report found that data prices in South Africa were excessively high.
When the Competition Commission’s findings were released, Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel said it was clear that there was a problem in the market and that data prices were higher than they should be compared to elsewhere in the world.
On Thursday, Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams reaffirmed government’s efforts to ensure a drop in communication costs.
“We are ensuring that we engage with the mobile operators in order to find the best ways to work together and make sure that our people get cheaper data costs.”
Ndabeni-Abrahams said that this was vital to ensure people had access to information.
“This we do without interfering with the work of the regulators, both the Competition Commission and Icasa, which is the industry regulator and as policymaker it has to make sure that it brings all the parties together for the benefit of the citizens. We are engaging all the parties concerned.”
The commission found that network operators MTN and Vodacom should reduce data prices by at least 50% within two months or face prosecution.
More Stories
Petro SA, Eskom Working On Cost Of Diesel Solution
Ramaphosa Asks Mabuza To Stay On, For now
Three SA Tourism Board Members Resign Amid Controversial R1bn Hotspur Deal
Eskom Needs More Than Money To Solve Its Problems – Analyst
SA Tourism R1bn Sponsorship Unjustified – Ramaphosa
Zuma Decries SCA Parole Ruling
Parliament Processing Key Recommendations Of State Capture Report
Tourism Department Responds To Tottenham Hotspur Deal
Vulnerable South Africans Now Eligible For 5th COVID-19 Booster
Cape Town Mayor Urges Residents To Reduce Water Usage
Calls For State Of Disaster On Energy Crisis At ANC Lekgotla
Petrol And Diesel Prices Set To Rise