Social media platform, TikTok, has partnered with Think WiFi, a free public WiFi company, to launch 50 new free WiFi hotspots in South Africa as part of a pilot programme.
Why does it matter? There’s no doubt that the Internet provides endless opportunities for everyone. But Africa has the lowest number of Internet connections, with only 22 per cent of the continent having access.
ThinkWiFi CEO, Janine Rebelo, said due to low Internet penetration in South Africa, many do not have access to digital hardware, digital literacy skills, or connectivity.
A little context: Connectivity in South Africa is hampered by the high cost of data and the scarcity of infrastructure to support broadband penetration targets.
So, the partnership plans to raise awareness and advocate for the digital divide and the inclusion of digital literacy in all communities.
During the six-month pilot, the hotspots will be available in Soweto in Gauteng, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha in the Western Cape, and Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.
Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, TikTok’s director of government relations and public policy in Sub-Saharan Africa, said the pilot would encourage South Africans to join platforms like TikTok to create content and learn new skills