Imagine needing information about a social grant, looking for a job, trying to access healthcare advice or simply trying to educate yourself online — but you cannot afford the data required to get
there. For millions of South Africans, the cost of mobile data remains a barrier to accessing information and services that many of us take for granted. Now, mobile network operators are facing a deadline that could make a significant difference to that reality. By 15 January 2027, South Africa’s major mobile network operators are required to zero-rate the digital content of eligible public benefit
organisations — meaning users should be able to access that content without it eating into their mobile data. This obligation forms part of the conditions attached to the multibillion-rand spectrum
auction in 2022. But with the deadline now just months away, concerns are being raised about whether the operators — and the regulator, ICASA — are doing enough to ensure this actually happens at scale. According to the DG Murray Trust, only around 15 organisations have been zero-rated out of the thousands that could potentially qualify, and there are questions about how the process will be monitored and enforced. So what exactly does zero-rating mean for ordinary South Africans? Which organisations and services should qualify? And why, despite this being a legal obligation, does it appear that implementation is still lagging? Today, we unpack whether zero-rating can genuinely help close South Africa’s digital divide — or whether another important deadline is approaching with too little urgency.