The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) has invested R6 million towards the provision of free public WiFi in the Eastern Cape.
"We have already connected Korsten, the licensing department, the customer care centre and the public library to free WiFi," DTPS minister Siyabonga Cwele said at the launch at the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on Friday.
The minister says the deployment of free public WiFi affirms government's commitment to the National Development Plan's vision of a robust information society and knowledge economy that is both inclusive and prosperous.
"Let me announce that once you have connected to the free public WiFi, you will be allocated 100MB per day on each device you connect at speeds of 10Mbps," says Cwele.
Government is working with the metros of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay, Mangaung, Cape Town and Johannesburg to roll out free WiFi.
"Access to the Internet is the single most powerful tool we have in combating the inequality experienced in the delivery of quality education. A child with access to the Internet in Uitenhage has access to the same educational material as any child in the bigger cities and anywhere in the world," according to the minister.
Cwele says government is also moving towards delivering most of its critical services through online platforms as it continues to connect all government institutions to broadband.
"This will greatly reduce the queues that we experience at our frontline departments, such as the licensing departments, home affairs and many others. The Department of Home Affairs has already taken a step towards this direction, as we can now apply for IDs and passports in some banks," he says.
Government has allocated R740 million for the first phase of broadband roll out over a three-year period. The first phase of the project will focus on connecting eight districts.
Share