Data remains far more expensive in SA than in peer countries

South Africa's digital divide is a pressing issue that affects millions of people, particularly in rural areas and low-income communities.

Ashraf Patel of the Institute for Global Dialogue has done research highlighting the stark contrast between South Africa's digital access and that of other peer countries, such as Brazil.

"Brazil is a developing country, but it has far exceeded South Africa in meeting digital access," he notes.

His research also reveals that South Africa's broadband rollouts for ordinary people, clinics, rural areas, and schools are weak compared to many medium and lower-income countries.

Patel attributes their success to a combination of factors. "Definitely, they have very strong regulatory obligations. Kelly Brass, the major telecoms company, has commitments to roll out infrastructure in rural provinces and poor urban areas." This approach has led to significant progress in Brazil, with over 40 million people lifted out of poverty over the past two decades.

In contrast, South Africa's policy and regulatory disconnect is a major challenge Patel notes that the country has a policy framework, but it's not being effectively implemented. "We have a fairly weak kind of regulatory oversight," he says. This lack of oversight has led to expensive prepaid internet and uneven broadband rollouts. Patel emphasises the importance of alignment between national, provincial, and local governments, as well as interdepartmental collaboration, to address these issues.

Patel suggests that rolling out broadband to schools and clinics could be a ‘big win’ for social expansion. He also recommends experimenting with digital infrastructure to enable financial inclusion, as Brazil and India are doing.

To listen to Patel discussing what we can learn from other countries to provide cheap, ubiquitous internet services, click below: