SA Government Misses Deadline To Provide 50GB Free Data to Households

• Department of Communications misses internet access targets for South African households
• Former minister's broadband promise remains unrealised with unclear funding and implementation plans
• National Treasury is yet to provide financial details for the universal data subsidy initiative

PRETORIA— The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies faces growing scrutiny for missing its self-imposed targets to provide free internet access across South Africa. The department failed to deliver on its promise to give every household 50GB of free data per month by the end of the 2025/26 financial year.

According to MyBroadband, the initiative was originally outlined by former public works minister Patricia de Lille in the March 2022 National Infrastructure Plan 2050. The department has omitted the 50GB project from its Annual Performance Plan for 2026/27. Furthermore, the government failed to hit its previous interim target of providing 10GB of free data per household by the 2023/24 financial year.

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The communication department fails on free internet targets.

Former communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni previously stated that the universal data allocation would function like water and electricity. Ntshavheni indicated that the department requested National Treasury funding to establish a specialised Broadband Fund to subsidise the nationwide rollout.

However, the state has not provided financial details or implementation frameworks for the universal data subsidy. Technology analyst Arthur Goldstuck noted that the project would require subsidising roughly 18 million households. He stated that the plan lacks clear costing, procurement guidelines, and sustainable budget structures, remaining a policy vision rather than a reality. The department has not responded to official inquiries regarding the status of the unfulfilled broadband promises.

Backlash over state employment role

Briefly News reported that Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni faced intense public criticism after stating that the government is not responsible for creating youth jobs. Speaking at the 50th anniversary commemoration of the June 16 uprising in Soweto, Ntshavheni compared South Africa to countries like Germany, where the state does not drive national employment. Her comments sparked immediate backlash on social media, with many citizens expressing anger given that South Africa currently battles one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. Outraged South Africans lashed out at her stance, arguing that the government must actively resolve the ongoing crisis.

Source: Briefly News