South Africa: Campaigners are pressing the govt. to catch up on broadband with comparable countries

[APC] South Africa is on the eve of a major broadband infrastructure roll-out. Affordable broadband can have a significant impact on the country’s socio-economic, political, cultural and educational development; but broadband penetration in South Africa lags behind countries with a similar level of development such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Turkey. This is due in part to the lack of a coherent policy framework to guide the development of broadband. The election of a new government on April 22 2009 provides an opportunity to look at the policy framework with fresh eyes and to consider the inter-related components needed to develop a coherent national broadband strategy. APC is building a coalition of civil society organisations and businesses to campaign for the lowering of costs associated with the internet in South Africa.

The project being carried out with the support of the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA) has mobilised internet service providers (ISPs), communications workers, content providers, academics, alternative energy experts, a number of civil society organisations and private sector associations to advocate for affordable broadband access for all South Africans. Together these interest groups identified the key components of a national broadband strategy, which were consolidated into a framework to be presented to the new government.

Thousands of South Africans sign up to campaign for cheaper broadband