SA’s internet: slow, expensive and a barrier for economic growth and job creation

[Fivel]

Don't worry. I think SA's high ranking for HIV infection and violent crime more than makes up for the low placing for internet and quality education according to our government.

Somehow I'm missing how that's a positive

[JudeC]

I heard this on the radio this morning and found it interesting.

South Africa has one of the lowest average internet connection speeds in the world, according to the First Quarter 2013 Akamai report, State of the Internet. According to the report, South Africa had the lowest average connection speed of all European, Middle-Eastern, and African (EMEA) countries surveyed.

In addition, the report reveals that South Africa ranks:

80th worldwide for average internet connectivity speed;
126th for peak connectivity speed worldwide; and
69th globally for the average speed of broadband connectivity with only 8% able to achieve speeds of 4 Mbps or more. This is far below the global average of 46% and less than a tenth of the global leader, Switzerland, at 88%.

Read more Here

Yay, we're getting better!!!! by next year we could be ahead of ........, nah whom I kidding

[Cara]

Yay, we're getting better!!!! by next year we could be ahead of ........, nah whom I kidding

Hahaha you're kidding yourself there Jude!!!! We live as 1st world people in a 3rd world country... Not happening!

[oltman]

i think internet connectivity is but a small part to blame for lack of economic growth and job creation. if this barrier was the Great Wall of China then internet would be a brick or two at the top. there are way more pressing issues than internet to blame for our lack of growth and job creation.

[steaksauce]

Somehow I'm missing how that's a positive

I was just being sarcastic. The government seems to have their priorities all mixed up. They're just thinking "keep the masses dumbed up so they can carry on voting for us and finance the next Merc GM".

[simon]

What I don't understand is that Zimbabwe averages to be faster than South Africa.
We have more people who are non South Africans coming in to my work looking for work online than South Africans so I don't know how motivated some of the South African populace are to look for work.