03 Apr Petition to reduce the digital divide
The cell phone is an amazing thing.
It could give everyone the power of information. Parents could read stories to their children. Teachers and health workers could be able to connect to keep learning. Young people could find new work opportunities. It could help bridge the digital divide. The possibilities are endless.
Except that mobile data is still too expensive.
The COVID-19 lockdown made everyone realise how important digital communication is to all of us. Government declared that health and educational websites should be free to users to share information about the pandemic and to keep children and students learning. Many of these zero-rated websites saw substantial increases in usage.
Then a major breakthrough!
In April 2022, ICASA made zero-rating of the digital content of government and public benefit organisations (PBOs) a condition of licence for the cellphone network operators that had bid successfully for more radio spectrum. This meant that users of these websites should have had access to this digital content for FREE.
A year later, ICASA has not enforced zero-rating of PBO and .gov sites. Some PBOs have stayed zero-rated; others have been removed by the cellphone network operators. PBOs from other sectors e.g. those providing support for better nutrition and job seeking have been unable to register.
There is much wrong in South Africa, but there is a lot we can do right now like putting in place a simple system to zero-rate the digital content of PBOs. The condition of licence is there, in regulation, yet the poorest communities still don’t benefit from it. We, as non-profit public benefit organisations ask ICASA to make this a priority and make it happen now. The DG Murray Trust (DGMT) has offered to set up a simple registry for PBOs and pay for it, supporting ICASA to make it happen fast.
If you are reading this and agree with this approach, you can do your part by sending an email to ICASA at ceo@icasa.org.za and request that a mechanism for zero-rating of PBOs be made a priority.
Signed by representatives of OVER 200 public benefit organisations:
- A Better Africa Foundation
- Adopt-a-School Foundation
- Acorn Education
- Alladin Learning Solutions
- APISA
- AspireYouth
- ASSITEJ SA
- Atlantic Hope Place of Safety
- Autism South Africa
- Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
- Axium Education
- Banareng Day Care Centre
- Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Biblionef SA
- Bioregional South Africa
- Bongani Community Development Centre
- Boost Africa
- Bridges for Music
- Broadway Legacy Foundation
- Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA)
- CAP
- Cape Mental Health
- CHoiCe Trust
- Chrysalis Academy
- Citizen Leader Lab
- Click Learning
- Clowns Without Borders SA
- Columba Leadership
- Common Good Foundation
- Cotlands
- Cumulus Blue Trust
- Development Action Group
- Dlalanathi
- Douglas Murray Home for the Aged
- Dr CL Smith Foundation
- Early Learning Resource Unit
- eKasi Entrepreneurs
- Elizabeth Foundation
- Engage Empowerment Partnership
- Engeli Entrepreneurial Foundation
- enke: Make Your Mark
- Environment & Language
- Education Trust (ELET)
- Fasimehang Day Care Centre
- Five Trails Africa
- Fisantekraal Centre For Development
- For the Voiceless
- Foundation for Community Development (FCD)
- Funda Wande
- Gold Youth Development Agency
- Growing Birds ECD
- Gun Free South Africa
- GW Foundation NPC
- HIVSA
- HTA/AT
- Harmony Home for the Aged
- Hope Africa Collective
- Hope Through Action
- Foundation SA
- ITEC
- IDEA Digital Education
- Ikamva Labantu Charitable Trust
- Impact Trust SA
- Inclusive Education South Africa
- Indlela Mental Health
- Innovation Edge
- I Protect Me
- iThemba Lethu
- iThembalethu Outreach Project
- JET Education Services
- JGE Funding Trust
- Just Grace
- Just Like Heaven
- PSI Projects
- Keep The Dream196
- Kgwana Community Centre
- KHULA Education
- Khula Development Group
- Khululeka Community
- Education Development Centre
- Kin Culture
- Kouga Windfarm Trust
- Kuwukuhlula NPC
- Lake Farm Centre Aid Association
- LEAP Science and Maths Schools
- Learn to Earn
- Lesedi Larona Home of Trust
- Lesedi Service Centre
- Life Choices
- Lisika Unite Foundation
- Living Hope
- Maake HIV AIDS and Youth Guide
- Malamulele Onward
- Masibumbane Development Organisation
- Masifunde Learner Development
- Masimanyane Women’s Rights International
- Midlands Community College
- Mikhulu Child Development Trust
- Miqlat
- Missionvale Care Centre
- Molteno Institute for Language and Literacies
- mothers2mothers
- Mukhomi Community Forum
- NASCEE
- NPO in a Box
- Nal’ibali Trust
- National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW)
- National Youth Development League
- Ncedo Training Projects
- Ncinci Ones
- Neema Foundation
- Neil Butcher & Associates
- Net vir Pret
- New World Foundation
- Ngangezwe Foundation
- Ntataise Lowveld
- Ntataise Trust
- Ntokozweni Village for the Vulnerable
- Nyara Youth Development
- Observatory Civic Association
- Okani Vutivi ELC
- OLICO Maths Education
- OneVoice South Africa
- Organising for Work
- ORT SA
- Outliers
- PACSEN
- Park Care 24/7 Frail Nursing Centre
- Passion to Serve
- Penreach
- Perinatal Mental Health Project
- Philani Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Trust
- Phronesis Students Development Trust
- Pledge Nature Reserve Trust
- Primary Science Programme
- Project Literacy
- Project Playground Trust
- Reading to Learn South Africa
- Red Ink
- Rise Africa Care Foundation
- Rural Development Support Program
- SA Mobility for the Blind Trust
- SaveAct
- SAYes Mentoring
- School of Hard Knocks
- SchoolNet SA
- Scouts South Africa
- Senecio Support for People with Disabilities
- Seriti Institute
- Seven Passes Initiative
- Shine Literacy
- Sign Language Education and Development (SLED)
- Siphila Sonke Outreach Programme
- Siyafunda Community Technology Centre
- Siyashesha Leadership Incubator
- Siyavuna Abalimi
- Development Centre
- Siyazana YDF
- Small Projects Foundation
- SmartStart
- Social Change Assistance Trust
- South African History Online
- South African Institute for Distance Education (Saide)
- Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference
- Justice and Peace Commission
- Southern Africa Food Lab
- Southern Cape Educational Trust
- Sparrows Child and Youth Care Centre
- Sunshine Centre Association
- TLC Ministries
- TSIBA Education
- Talitha Cumi
- Tape Aids for the Blind
- Thanda
- The Breede Centre Trust
- The Dewandré Fritz Foundation
- The EARTH Centre
- The Eyes2Eyes Foundation
- The GAP College
- The Learning Trust
- The Movement in Africa
- The Reach Trust
- The Social Makeover
- The Sozo Foundation
- The Teddy Bear Foundation for Abused Children
- Thembalethu Care
- Thusanang Trust
- Thusang Setshaba Drop In Centre
- Training and Resources in Early Education
- Tshehang Development and Training
- USIKO
- Ubuntu Pathways
- Uhambo Foundation
- Ukhanyo Foundation
- Umgoshongo The Fountain
- VUSA Rugby and Learning Academy
- VVOB
- Vuyani Safe Haven
- WAAI
- Well Being Africa
- We Will Speak Out South Africa
- Wordworks
- Western Cape Foundation for Community Work
- Womb to Tomb Development Centre
- youth@WORK
- Zero Waste Association of South Africa (ZWASA)
- Ziphakamise
- Zoliswa
- DG Murray Trust (DGMT) including: Grow Great, Embrace, Bumb’ingomso, Parent Power, Teachers CAN, Zero Dropout, Youth Capital and JobStarter