I come to these forums on a daily basis, often not really to comment, mostly just to see what other people have to say regarding the telecoms situation in our country. Like most other users of this forum, I suspect that I am hoping, seemingly in vain, for someone to announce some good news. That good news has yet to arrive.
It got me wondering though why South African's are so complacent when it comes to exorbitant pricing. We are not only talking about the astronomical cost of telephone calls, internet connections and sms messages. South Africa is awash with high prices from bank charges to electronic products for which we often pay up to fifty percent more than our international counterparts.
Most of the time, it is difficult to excavate the varied reasons and culprits responsible for these high prices. In the case of our telecoms sector, however, we do know where to lay the blame. What is more, we know what needs to be done, at least to some extent, based upon plans and practices that have been put into place in other countries.
So why are we sitting on this forum each day and only voicing our concerns to each other? In other countries, people take to the streets in their thousands when they feel that they are being treated unfairly or taken advantage of. In South Africa we feel compelled to voice our grievances anonymously and quietly in environments we feel are safe.
Where are the marches? Where are the protests? Where the peaceful demonstrations?
Perhaps in a country where there are so many problems it doesn't seem worth it taking to the streets to complain about high telephone costs when crime is rampant, where a large portion of the population cannot even afford a house and where other protestors are asking for life saving drugs.
But this cause affects us all in so many little ways we cannot even begin to fathom. It affects the cost of everything we buy because companies have larger expenses. It effects the education of our children because they do not have access to the same information their international peers do. It affects small businesses that are forced to pay huge bills for telephone and internet connections they cannot afford.
And it isn't just about prohibitive costs. It's about a monopolistic company who seems to have given up on those in poor and rural communities, but still wants to make it difficult for others to fill the gaps.
I have to wonder why we can organise huge gatherings to support our national rugby team (and I was watching along with the rest of the country and feeling as happy when we won), but we cannot get together on the issues that actually effect our lives.
It got me wondering though why South African's are so complacent when it comes to exorbitant pricing. We are not only talking about the astronomical cost of telephone calls, internet connections and sms messages. South Africa is awash with high prices from bank charges to electronic products for which we often pay up to fifty percent more than our international counterparts.
Most of the time, it is difficult to excavate the varied reasons and culprits responsible for these high prices. In the case of our telecoms sector, however, we do know where to lay the blame. What is more, we know what needs to be done, at least to some extent, based upon plans and practices that have been put into place in other countries.
So why are we sitting on this forum each day and only voicing our concerns to each other? In other countries, people take to the streets in their thousands when they feel that they are being treated unfairly or taken advantage of. In South Africa we feel compelled to voice our grievances anonymously and quietly in environments we feel are safe.
Where are the marches? Where are the protests? Where the peaceful demonstrations?
Perhaps in a country where there are so many problems it doesn't seem worth it taking to the streets to complain about high telephone costs when crime is rampant, where a large portion of the population cannot even afford a house and where other protestors are asking for life saving drugs.
But this cause affects us all in so many little ways we cannot even begin to fathom. It affects the cost of everything we buy because companies have larger expenses. It effects the education of our children because they do not have access to the same information their international peers do. It affects small businesses that are forced to pay huge bills for telephone and internet connections they cannot afford.
And it isn't just about prohibitive costs. It's about a monopolistic company who seems to have given up on those in poor and rural communities, but still wants to make it difficult for others to fill the gaps.
I have to wonder why we can organise huge gatherings to support our national rugby team (and I was watching along with the rest of the country and feeling as happy when we won), but we cannot get together on the issues that actually effect our lives.
) back in your pocket!
