Question NW721 to the Minister of Communications
04 June 2020 - NW721
Mackenzie, Mr C to ask the Minister of Communications
(1)In light of the various initiatives launched to provide online learning to school learners and tertiary students during the national lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, what is the smart phone penetration in rural areas across the Republic; (2) What is the (a) television and (b) radio penetration across the Republic?
Reply:
1. According to the ICASA’s State of ICT Sector in South Africa 2019, the penetration of smartphones countrywide is 81, 72% as at the end of September 2018, compared to 43, 5% in September 2016 and 74, 2% in September 2017.
ICASA recorded smartphones subscriptions at 46, 9 million as at 30 September 2018. According to ICASA that total number of 4G/LTE devices in 2018, was 12 644 364 million countrywide with GP being the highest at 4 304 758; KwaZulu-Natal at 1 859 095; Western Cape at 1 562 239; Limpopo 1 532 666; Mpumalanga at 1 310 633; Eastern Cape at 745 272; North West at 664 362; Free State at 444 639; and Northern Cape at 220 700.
The data does not into account socio-economic factors.
(2) (a) The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRC) is a body which commissions and oversees the delivery of radio and television audience measurement research for broadcasters. According to the latest BRC TAMS report for the period July 2018 to June 2019: 14 577 947 television households.
(b) The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRC) is a body which commissions and oversees the delivery of radio and television audience measurement research for broadcasters. The BRC RAM™ figures released in February 2020, and covering the period January 2019 to December 2019, reveal that radio reach countrywide is:
- 92% weekly with 37.5 million listeners listening at any given time during the week.
- 73% daily (Monday to Friday) with 29.9 million listeners, on average each weekday.
The data does not take into account socio-economic factors.
MR J MTHEMBU, MP
ACTING MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES