The program will roll out systematically over an 18-month period, ending in December 2026, with an initial focus on Gauteng before expanding nationwide. MTN’s strategy targets existing customers based on specific usage profiles, spending patterns, and account longevity.

“At MTN, we are committed to going the extra mile to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital era. As the country transitions to technologies like 4G and 5G, it is vital that we take proactive steps to connect as many South Africans as possible,” said MTN South Africa CEO Charles Molapisi.

Three-Phase Implementation

The initiative’s carefully structured approach includes:

Phase One (Starting May 2025): 5,000 selected customers primarily in Gauteng will receive the first wave of devices

Phase Two: Expansion to over 130,000 customers nationwide

Phase Three: Full-scale deployment reaching more than 1.1 million MTN customers across South Africa

Each smartphone will come pre-loaded with essential applications designed to enhance access to digital tools and services. A key condition of the program requires that these heavily subsidized devices remain exclusively on the MTN network.

“Through this initiative, we are not only providing our customers with the tools they need to access digital services, but we are also playing an active role in helping to bridge the digital divide. Regardless of where they live, we want to ensure that all South Africans can access the digital world,” Molapisi added.

Strategic Partnership

To implement this massive undertaking, MTN has partnered with Smartphone For All Pty Limited, a company specializing in affordable mobile technology solutions.

“Today marks a pivotal step in our journey to bridge the digital divide. By making smartphones more accessible and affordable, we are unlocking opportunities for millions who have been left behind in the digital economy,” said Babatunde Osho, Founder and CEO of Smartphone For All Pty Limited.

The new center is equipped with 35 computers, a server, and an interactive whiteboard, providing learners with access to state-of-the-art technology for their educational needs. This is particularly important for students who may not have access to laptops or devices at home.

“The multimedia center will open up a world of possibilities for our learners,” said Arthur Mukhuvha, General Manager of the MTN SA Foundation. “They will be able to use the facilities for everyday assignments, basic programming, problem-solving, and accessing educational materials that were previously inaccessible.”

Mukhuvha emphasized the importance of reducing the digital and educational divides that hinder the potential of those without access to quality education. “Their loss is also the nation’s loss,” he noted.

Jacques Celliers, CEO of FNB, said, “We are pleased to join forces with MTN to deliver even greater value to all our customers. This collaboration is consistent with our efforts to leverage reliable network infrastructure in the market to accelerate our delivery of cost-effective data and voice plans and other ICT services. Telecommunications and ICT services are central to the integrated value propositions we offer our customers across financial and lifestyle services. Our ability to help customers manage both their finances and telco needs through our trusted single digital platform is unique, consistent with our aim to provide helpful, easily accessible, and innovative solutions.

“Reliable connectivity is a powerful enabler for individuals, families, and businesses. In the months ahead, we will expand our range of services by introducing more cost-effective and tailored solutions for both individual and business customers. This includes IoT (Internet of Things) solutions that empower businesses to improve efficiency and productivity. We will also offer fibre, 5G, and LTE for faster internet speeds and reliable connectivity for both residential and commercial customers,” adds Celliers.

MTN South Africa CEO, Charles Molapisi said, “The partnership is part of our broader efforts to support MVNOs and other institutions that recognise the value of connectivity and internet services for their customers. This partnership marks a significant milestone for both FNB and MTN, which have been instrumental in innovation in the South African market and is a further endorsement for MTN as the network of networks. By combining our strengths, we are poised to create a truly exceptional network experience for FNB Connect users while also enabling access to a broader range of ICT services, beyond just connectivity, for FNB customers. We look forward to the positive impact this collaboration will have on the South African telecommunications and financial services landscape.

FNB Connect recently disclosed that it rewarded customers with over R300 million in free data and phone minutes in the first half of the financial year 2023. Moreover, the MVNO sold about R400 million in digital devices through the FNB App within the same period.

Wanda Matandela, Chief Business and Enterprise Officer at MTN Business says; “Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and business in the informal sector play an important role in South Africa’s economy by providing employment opportunities as well as driving much-needed growth.”

MTN Business offers small, medium, and large bundle packages with validity of 7 days, 14 days and 30 days respectively.  

Below is the breakdown of packages:  

Customers can simply register for MTN Made for Skhokho plans on the Made for Skhokho portal thereafter recharge using the MTN App.

In addition, MTN also announced they will be zero-rating the use of the app on the network. Meaning, use of the app will be free for MTN subscribers. The app is available for free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The COVID Alert SA app, which was designed by Discovery for the National Department of Health, uses Bluetooth contact-tracing technology to let people know when they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. It does this in a way that always preserves app user privacy and anonymity.

According to MTN SA’s executive for Corporate Affairs, Ms Jacqui O’Sullivan. “One of the critical aspects of combatting COVID-19 is the ability to detect positive cases early and to isolate as many contacts as possible. The COVID Alert SA app gives every smartphone user in South Africa the chance to understand their exposure to the virus, so that we can all protect our families and our communities, and especially those people who are most at risk of severe disease.”

Since the start of the nationwide lockdown MTN has worked with government to zero rate over 900 individual URLs to ensure that South Africans are able to access important online resources and information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was one of those victims, on both MTN and Vodacom’s networks. Luckily both networks were quick to act on solving my cases. Not all cases are resolved as quickly and efficiently.

According to research conducted by TransUnion in 2019, nearly half of South Africa consumers have either fallen victim to identity theft or know someone who has. Which prompts the need for mobile network operators (MNO) to decrease the level of fraud and be confident in the claimed identify of their customers is more vital than ever.

We reached out to IDEMIA, a global leader in Augmented Identity, for comment on how the matter can be addressed. IDEMIA believes that biometric-powered digital identity can assist MNOs in certain key areas, including fraud prevention and customer onboarding.

IDEMIA continued to add that biometric verification and authentication can be used at various points of the customer experience, whether in store or through a mobile app.

During onboarding, biometrically enrolling the customer increases the operational efficiencies and fulfils the increasingly stringent compliance (Know-Your-Customer) standards within the industry. Later on, biometric verification can also be used in the event of, for example, SIM replacement (in the event of a lost or damaged SIM). This would dramatically reduce the incidence of SIM swap fraud.

MNOs on the continent are in a distinct position to offer identify services to third parties, helping them to verify their customer identities and carry out the proper authentication.

The demand for verified mobile connections will only increase as the world gets more connected and the population conducts even more of their daily transactions with smart devices. In order to MNOs to effectively and efficiently onboard customers and protect themselves from fraud, digital identity is more than a good-to-have for MNOs.

The service enables customers and general consumers to transact and make payments using their cellphone rather than traditional banking services.

MTN South Africa chief officer for mobile financial services Felix Kamenga said MTN envisions these services helping to bridge the gap for those who do not currently use banking services.

Just late last week the company announced that it has launched some new functionalities aimed at assisting South Africans during challenging economic times. These include the new food vouchers functionality, and the option for users to make charitable donations to a range of reputable, vetted charity and faith-based organisations that are offering relief to those who need it the most.

The food voucher service is designed to assist registered MoMo users, by removing the worry of giving cash to someone to purchase essential items – it could be a family member, neighbour, someone at work or a stranger in need.

This new functionality enables MoMo users to send food vouchers to anyone with a valid cellphone number. On the other hand, recipients of the food vouchers do not need to be MoMo users at all.  They simply need to show the voucher code, which they would have received via SMS to the cashier at the participating retailers such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer, Makro and Col Cacchio.

People wishing to use the service on the MoMo platform, but using other networks, can also do so by downloading MoMo in the App Stores, or they can register via USSD by dialling *120*151#

That’s definitely “more attainable” rather than “cheap,” mind you. At R29 999, the Galaxy Z Flip is still in the premium end of modern smartphones, indeed almost as pricey as Samsung’s new flagship Galaxy S20 Ultra which is set at R26 999.

Clearly, though, that price tag hasn’t put off everybody. Sales of the Galaxy Z Flip started today, and already stocks of the Android foldable seem to have been depleted at some retailers. Samsung’s very own branded stores and Vodaworld are almost out of handsets.

Both the Mirror Black and Mirror Purple finishes are marked limited quantity stock at Vodacom, too, where the network giant only had an allocation of 15 Galaxy Z Flip’ online and an additional 15 at its Vodaworld store.  Samsung opted not to offer the Mirror Gold finish of the clamshell in the South Africa, much to the disappointment of some. Meanwhile over at MTN, the Galaxy Z Flip is being sold for R2 399 per month on a 24-month installment agreement. They haven’t listed their stock quantity.

Samsung South Africa hasn’t confirmed whether new orders will be making their way to South Africa.

Sales success or simply scarce supplies?

It’d be easy to look at this apparent day one demand and decide that the time is right for a foldable phone. Of course, with Samsung not actually saying publicly how many devices it has made available, either through its own online store or to carriers, it’s hard to conclude whether this is an impressive release or just a few early-adopters clearing scarcely-stocked shelves.

Certainly, as devices go, the Galaxy Z Flip seems like the most compelling of the – scant – foldables we’ve seen launch commercially. Making the biggest difference is probably the flexible glass used to protect its display. That feels a whole lot more like what we’re used to from a regular, non-folding smartphone.

It should also make the Galaxy Z Flip more resilient: after all, Samsung didn’t exactly stoke confidence with the Galaxy Fold with its cautionary warning that new owners should avoid pressing too hard with their fingernails on the plastic OLED. Only time will tell how well that glass, and the display itself, hold up to repeated folding and unfolding. Samsung says it’s expecting the clamshell to do 200,000 such movements without issue.

The annual initiative is driven by Singularity University’s mission to educate, inspire and empower leaders to apply exponential technologies to address humanity’s grand challenges. Now in its second year, the summit showcased 33 African and world-renowned speakers, and attracted over 1 900 African industry leaders, c-suite executives as well as public sector representatives. Speakers and delegates engaged on exponential technologies that will help the African continent leapfrog into the future.

“There is a huge potential for economic and technological growth in Africa. Many African countries still face challenges related to infrastructure, security and education, among others. Exponential technology is an opportunity for Africa to forge ahead towards sustainable development across all sectors and industries,” says Mic Mann, Founder of Mann Made and SingularityU South Africa Summit co-CEO.

Themes unpacked at the summit included the future of work and the professional, as well as what to expect of the gig economy. While many fear the rise of automation and mechanisation, as well as its impact on employment, Valter Adão, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Deloitte, shared research that “for every job lost, 1.74 new jobs are created”.

Other talking points included education and the future of learning; banking in a cashless future; additive manufacturing in space; and what it takes to decode democracy. Speakers included: Fred Swaniker, who aims to groom three million leaders for Africa by 2035; author of Stealing Fire Jamie Wheal; Dr Tiffany Vora, who talked about how to programme Africa’s future using digital biology; as well as Phathizwe Malinga, who shared his insights on IoT and information abundance. This year’s summit also included a second track, presented during the coffee and lunch breaks, that allowed delegates to delve deeper into the most topics.

The summit co-organisers also announced that SingularityU South Africa is the first Singularity University country partner on the African continent. It now offers online and offline programmes for individuals and corporate members, including a newly appointed, South African-based faculty: www.singularityusouthafrica.org.

Another highlight was witnessing Richard Browning, Founder and Chief Test Pilot of Gravity Industries, showcase human flight in his Jet Suit flight. Its five gas turbine jet engines generate 147kg of thrust that allows for vertical lift and directional propulsion at speeds of up to 70km/h, that can cover a distance of 1.4km for up to eight minutes.

The winner of SU Ventures 2018, Benji Coetzee of Empty Trips, won the opportunity to go to SingularityU in Silicon Valley to take part in the SU sprint programme. She will also have the opportunity to get funding for her start-up.

Fifty super early bird tickets to the third SingularityU South Africa Summit, to be held on 16-17 October 2019, were already sold within an hour of announcement. The summit trended across social media under the theme “#futureproofAfrica and inspired South Africans to take action and make impact to create abundance for all. Through technology advances and the proper adoption thereof, a beyond brighter future is possible for the entire African continent.

We are fortunate to have formed part of the event, our thanks go to the SingularityU Team.

The PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS represents the pinnacle of technology through features such as the world’s first dual fingerprint design including an innovative in-screen fingerprint sensor, the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) processor and Leica triple camera with 40MP image capture. This device will surpass the performance expectations of even the most demanding smartphone user.

“After the overwhelming success of the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro in South Africa, we now bring you our latest offering, a perfect blend of innovation in a smartphone and luxury design – the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS. We are proud to bring the uniqueness of the device with cutting-edge technologies, which people will fall in love with – from three-point security feature including facial recognition, rear fingerprint scanner and the new innovative in-screen fingerprint to the Leica triple camera system – culminating in an unprecedented experience for our customers,” said Likun Zhao, Vice President of Huawei Consumer Business Group Southern Africa.

Incorporating Porsche Design’s signature design language and Huawei’s breakthrough technology and craftsmanship, the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS sets a new standard in mobile luxury.  With a commitment to unique, functional design, the phone has a 6” 2K curved OLED screen and wonderfully symmetrical look, minimalist feel and a stylish 8-edged 3D curved glass body. The PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS is available in black, a timeless colour that enables a seamless switch from glass to frame, and reflects Porsche Design’s commitment to purism and simple sophistication.

The PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS has been built with exceptional accuracy, meaning each component is there for a specific reason, and exactly where it needs to be to ensure the user gets the best possible experience in terms of power and aesthetics. High performance is also indicated in the naming of the smartphone: the term “RS” stands in the world of Porsche motorsport for outstanding racing performance.

Huawei has also given the Mate RS not one but two fingerprint sensors. One is on the back, underneath the vertically stacked cluster of camera sensors. However, the phone also has an in-screen fingerprint sensor, built into the display. Huawei justifies the rear sensor’s presence by making it also work to unlock a “secure space” in the smartphone.

Finally, there’s quick wireless charging – another first for a Huawei device.

The quick wireless charging is not the only rarity, mind. Huawei says the handset is the first smartphone in the world to use a microcapsule PCM, for example, a cooling technology often used in aerospace applications. These use temperature-reacting phase change materials to manage excesses of heat, such as when a mobile processor is being stressed.

Jan Becker, CEO Porsche Design Group, said: “Both Porsche Design and Huawei seek to imagine and develop products that stand for precision and perfection, intelligent functionality and highly sophisticated design. Our aim was to create an outstanding device that goes one step further. We believe we have reached this goal by taking our partnership to the next level.”

Porsche Design and Huawei have worked in tandem to develop a smartphone that fuses together the two brands’ DNA, wealth of experience in design and technology, industry-leading expertise and exceptional performance. Through the use of colour in the device’s body, software themes and accessories, the new handset is accentuated with Porsche Design’s distinguished aesthetic and purist, minimalist feel.

The PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS will be available to purchase exclusively from MTN at a RRP of R 26 459.

Huawei’s service offering includes one free screen repair due to accidental damage. Priority repair service will be given to the customer with an offering of a loan device during the repair.  Users will also be entitled to free pickup and delivery services within the warranty period. Consumers will also have a dedicated VIP line with support from Huawei contact centre consultants.

With that in mind, MTN is joining companies like, well, Vodacom in opening a physical shop to experience its product and services. But there’s one key difference: These are the high tech sort with cutting edge technology in them and introduces a new fitting apart from the rest of the country’s stores.

As the company tells it, this isn’t just a MTN-branded shop or a place to buy MTN swag. It is MTN. Chief Consumer Offier Larry Annetts told SA VIBE that this cutting-edge facility is a result of the feedback they’ve continued to receive from customers and their ongoing quest to create an environment that is conducive for a pleasant customer experience. In practice, that means a new layout, new lighting and new exhibits. MTN made a lot of the design decisions.

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Some of the changes are immediately obvious: The floor registers have been placed to the west wall of the store, this helped to open up the space, as well as make MTN adaptable. In particular, some of the display cases have been put on wheels so that they can be easily moved around, either for a fresh look or to make room for events.

If this is something worthy for you to go check out, go see the store at newly built Mall of Africa.