‘Struggle against data not over’ EFF says, after Icasa decision

The EFF says the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) decision to amend the rules on when mobile data bundles can expire is the outcome of a “long and deliberate campaign” by the party waged inside Parliament and beyond.

Icasa published the updated rules for voice, SMS, and data bundles in the country in the Government Gazette on Friday.

Icasa

The new amendment requires mobile networks to roll over specific unused bundles.

The new amendments in the End-User and Subscriber Service Charter Amendment Regulations, 2025, will take effect on 23 January 2027, a year after their publication.

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‘Victory’

The EFF said for years, South Africans, particularly the poor, the unemployed, the youth, and those in rural areas, have been subjected to “exploitative” in which prepaid data and airtime expire arbitrarily, despite having been fully paid for.

It said Icasa’s decision is “a victory” of a long and deliberate campaign by the EFF.

“This development is the direct result of sustained political pressure, principled parliamentary intervention, and consistent engagement by the EFF in defence of the constitutional right of our people to access information.”

Struggle continues

However, the party said the victory does not mark the “end of the struggle.”

“While the rollover of unused data and airtime is a significant concession, data in South Africa remains prohibitively expensive, and rollover periods remain insufficient.

“The next phase of the EFF’s fight will therefore focus on the high cost of data, the extension of rollover periods, and the complete dismantling of exploitative pricing models that punish the poor for being poor,” the party said.

Cheaper data

South Africa has been stuck in a rut when it comes to digital skills, technology, and cheaper data prices.

In July 2024, during his Opening of Parliament address at Cape Town’s City Hall, President Cyril Ramaphosa briefly mentioned advancing South Africa further into technology and the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). 

By massively increasing investment in infrastructure, Ramaphosa said the plan was to position Infrastructure South Africa as the central institution for coordination and planning, including broadband, lower data prices, and digital skills.

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