EFF joins #DataMustFall fray, slams 'delinquent' networks

Johannesburg - Political party the EFF has joined calls for a dramatic decrease in data costs through the #DataMustFall social media campaign. 

The political party joined the petition initiated by radio personality TBo Touch to hold mobile networks to account on the high cost of data in this country.

“We support this call not only because it is an important campaign, but also because our movement, in its resolutions at the 2014 National People’s Assembly held in Mangaung, resolved that the high cost of communications in South Africa is impeding on the economic emancipation of our people,” the EFF said in a statement. 

“We call on ICASA and the Department of Telecommunications to reign in these delinquent mobile operators to lower their tariffs with immediate effect,” the statement further read.

TBo Touch's last tweet read that mobile operators would have less than 30 days to respond to the call.

It's going to take ordinary ppl like you and I to achieve the success of this campaign! All networks you have 29 days left #datamustfall

— Tbo Touch (@iamtbotouch) September 15, 2016

The EFF said they warned mobile operators to meet the 30 days deadline set by the #DataMustFall campaign or “face the might of our people.” 

The hashtag #DataMustFall was trending on Twitter with some celebrities joining the call. 

How do we as artists expect people to watch our videos, download our songs and like our posts with such high data costs.#datamustfall !!!

— SKETCHY BONGO (@SketchyBongo) September 15, 2016