Vodacom accelerates rural coverage scheme
by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – VODACOM has spent over R207 million (US$13,7 million) to maintain and upgrade network infrastructure during the 2020/21 financial year.
The investment is part of its Rural Coverage Acceleration Programme.
Vodacom Central Region, covering the Free State and Northern Cape provinces, has switched on two new 3G- and 4G-enabled base station sites in deep rural areas in Kamiesberg Local Municipality, Northern Cape province.
The two base stations were deployed in Kamasies and Rooifontein villages that had been without network connectivity since the early 1990s.
“It can no longer be acceptable for people in deep rural areas to watch the internet revolution from the sidelines, they need to be active participants and reap the associated economic benefits,” said Evah
Mthimunye, Managing Executive for Vodacom Central.
Mthimunye said the network expansion would drive the advancement of economic and social conditions in the communities in which Vodacom operates.
“We mean serious business when we say that deep rural and township areas should have the same network experience such as the people who reside in urban areas are accustomed to.”
A total of 40 new sites were deployed during the 2020/21 financial year, the bulk of which were rolled out in deep rural areas.
Rufus Beukes, Municipal Manager for Kamiesberg Municipality, welcomed the deployment of the base stations.
“This deployment has ensured that Kamiesberg Municipality could effectively communicate with these two villages regarding service delivery and has enabled the residents of the two areas to communicate with the outside world using the latest and fast mobile networks,” Beukes said.
– CAJ News
