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Vodacom’s R67 Smartphone Deal Brings Mandela’s Legacy Online in 2025

Published

2 months ago

July 18, 2025

Chiraag

For many South Africans, accessing the internet still isn’t as simple as swiping up. Millions are still stuck on basic 2G handsets, locked out of digital services most take for granted. But this Mandela Month, Vodacom is changing that and doing it for just R67.

In a nod to Madiba’s 67 years of service, Vodacom has launched a low-cost campaign to help qualifying prepaid customers swap their old 2G phones for a brand-new Kicka 6 4G smartphone. The phone normally sells for R699, so this deal cuts the cost by a massive R632.

More than a bargain, a push for equality

This isn’t just a tech promo. It’s part of Vodacom’s 2025 theme, “It is in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.” The idea is simple: better access to 4G means more people can participate in the digital economy, from job applications to online learning, banking, and healthcare.

“Millions of South Africans are still using 2G devices,” said Rishaad Tayob, Vodacom’s director of consumer business. “By offering affordable 4G smartphones, we are empowering people to fully participate in the digital world.”

Where to get it and how it works

The R67 Kicka 6 deal is already available in selected stores in KwaZulu-Natal and will soon roll out to Mpumalanga and Limpopo. To get the deal, customers must qualify, trade in a working 2G device, and recharge with at least R29, which also unlocks 20GB of free data, normally worth R149.

On Mandela Day, 18 July 2025, Vodacom is also giving away 67 smartphones through its “Surprise and Delight” campaign. Winners will be selected via Vodacom’s Daily V-Up journey and invited to Vodacom World in Midrand for their upgrade.

Not the first step; just the next

Vodacom has been making affordable 4G devices a priority for years. The Mobicel S4 launched in 2024 at just R199, while the Itel IT9300 followed at R249. Today, new options like the Hisense U607 and Vodacom V54 are available from R399 to R499, still within reach for many.

But the R67 deal, tied to Mandela Month, carries more than just value; it carries symbolism. It’s about action that honours the spirit of service, equality, and progress.

South Africans react: ‘This is what real impact looks like’

On social media, the response has been strong. “This is the kind of corporate responsibility we need,” wrote one user on X. “Affordable and practical.” Others noted the meaningfulness of connecting underserved communities, not just with cheaper data, but with actual tools to use it.

And with the cost of living still biting in 2025, getting access to the internet for R67 is more than generous; it’s transformational.

A digital step forward for Mandela Month

As South Africans reflect on Madiba’s legacy this July, it’s initiatives like this that give that reflection power. Not just by remembering what Mandela stood for, but by actively enabling progress, one device at a time.