DEPUTY Minister of Correctional Services, Chief Phathekile Holomisa, together with MTN, has donated 30 tablets to teachers at Corana Senior Primary, Ngqiniko Senior Primary and Mxambule Primary School in Mqanduli, during their visit to the three schools to address issues of network connection on September 20.
MTN has further promised to supply more tablets for all the learners at the Corana Primary School before the end of the current academic year while the two other schools would be considered in the next financial year.
“Holomisa’s visit to these three schools came after the principal of Corana Primary, Noluthando Voyi, had approached him to intervene as the area where the school is located has no cellphone network coverage.
He then approached MTN to assist in addressing the problem and there are a number of interventions that MTN will undertake towards addressing poor network coverage in the area,” said parliamentary liaison officer in the office of Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Sonwabile Notshikila.
Notshikila said Voyi also recommended the other two neighbouring schools to benefit from the tablets that MTN donated.
MTN, meanwhile, said the donation of the tablets to the three schools was part of their role of ensuring that learners reap the benefits of a modern connected life.
“MTN South Africa, through its MTN Foundation, has, over the years, played a critical role to ensure that South African learners reap the benefit of a modern connected life. Over the past years we have donated over 300 multimedia centres across the country, particularly in remote and township areas. Last year MTN, in partnership with the provincial Department of Education, provided over 72 000 SIM cards pre-loaded with data to learners in the Eastern Cape,” said, MTN executive for corporate affairs, Jacqui O’Sullivan.
She further said MTN has invested over R170 million towards a network upgrade in the Eastern Cape.
“MTN recently announced that it plans to upgrade its network infrastructure in the Eastern Cape with an additional R170 million. The investment will be channelled towards network modernisation and repairing vandalised infrastructure such as stolen batteries and cables. The objective is to ensure that everyone regardless of their location gets seamless connectivity,” O’Sullivan said.
Also, the recently completed National Long Distance (NLD) project (an underground cable from Cape Town to Durban), which its data station is located in Mthatha, will further provide fast and seamless connectivity to the areas that are near N2 route,” she concluded.
MTN has committed to immediately begin a process of installing network towers with advanced technology to enhance connection in the area where the three schools are based.
