A market inquiry into high data costs in South Africa is on the horizon.
“We will also in the budget speech, note that I will be making request to the Competition Commission to conduct a market inquiry into the high cost of data,” Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel said during a media briefing ahead of a debate on his department’s budget vote.
Patel would announce the details of the probe in his budget vote on Thursday afternoon.
The inquiry comes following a public campaign against South Africa’s high data costs, which according to studies are among the highest in the world.
Last year, Parliament held public hearings into data costs. At the time, MPs urged mobile operators to cut their costs or the National Assembly would do it for them.