THE people of Mzansi have long been calling on the price of data to fall.
Their pleas have reached the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa and soon, Mzansi might see a drop in the price of data.
Ramaphosa said at the Sona on Thursday that government will expand high tech industry by ensuring that the legal and regulatory framework promotes innovation, scaling up skills development for young people in new technologies, and reducing data costs.
“Wherever we have gone young people have continuously raised the issue of the excessive high data costs in South Africa.
“To provide impetus to this process, within the next month, the Minister of Communications will issue the policy direction to ICASA to commence the spectrum licensing process,” said Ramaphosa.
He said this process will include measures to promote competition, transformation, inclusive growth of the sector and universal access.
“This is a vital part of bringing down the costs of data, which is essential both for economic development and for unleashing opportunities for young people.
“We call on the telecommunications industry further to bring down the cost of data so that it is in line with other countries in the world.”