Applying for zero-rating of .gov.za websites

1. Purpose of this guideline

This guideline provides South African government departments with a clear process for applying to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for the zero-rating of their official .gov.za websites.

Zero-rating allows citizens to access government websites without incurring mobile data costs, supporting equitable access to government information and services.

2. What is zero-rating?

Zero-rating means that access to a specific website or online service does not use mobile data.

ICASA requires mobile network licensees to zero-rate websites of Public Benefit Organisations (PBOs) and government departments with .gov.za domain names.

3. Who can apply

The following entities are eligible to apply for zero-rating:

  • National and provincial government departments with .gov.za domain names.
  • Government entities and agencies operating under a .gov.za subdomain.
  • Public Benefit Organisations (PBOs) registered with SARS.

4. Where to submit applications

Applications must be submitted to:

ICASA Licensing and Compliance Division
Block B, Eco Point Office Park, 350 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco Park, Centurion
OR
Private Bag X10, Highveld Park, 0169
OR by email: zeroratingapplications@icasa.org.za

5. Information required for the application

Departments must provide the following details in their application:

Required information

  1. 1. Applicant’s Name: Name of the government department or entity.
  2. 2. Email Address: Contact email for follow-up.
  3. 3. Contact Numbers: Landline and/or mobile.
  4. 4. Proof of Registration: Not required for government departments (only for PBOs).
  5. 5. Motivation: Short motivation (max 300 words) explaining the purpose of the website, its public value, and the social goods/services it provides.
  6. 6. Department / Sector: e.g. Health, Education, Social Development, etc.
  7. 7. Website Title: As it appears on the site.
  8. 8. URL: Full domain name (e.g. www.gov.za).
  9. 9. Static IPv4 Address: Must be static; Cloudflare-type proxy IPs are not accepted.
  10. 10. Static IPv6 Address: Must be static; Cloudflare-type proxy IPs are not accepted.
  11. 11. Ports: Specify active ports.
  12. 12. Server Name Indication (SNI): Provide SNI if applicable.
  13. 13. Hosting Information: Indicate whether the site is hosted locally or in the cloud (only South African-hosted sites are eligible).

(MS Word document)

6. Basic rules and technical requirements

  • Commercial content will not be zero-rated.
  • Embedded content or external links to other sites will not be zero-rated.
  • Videos and streaming content must not exceed 480p quality.
  • The website must be locally hosted (within South Africa).
  • Sites must comply with government web security and accessibility standards.

7. Implementation and approval process

  • ICASA will review applications and notify applicants of approval within two (2) business days after approval. (Please note: GCIS were contacted about 9 months after the submission were made.)
  • Once approved, mobile network operators must activate zero-rating within 14 working days.
  • All currently zero-rated sites under the repealed ICT COVID-19 regulations must reapply under this new process.
  • Zero-rating must be implemented by licensees within 36 months from 15 January 2024.

8. Monitoring and compliance

  • ICASA and licensees will conduct annual audits to ensure continued eligibility.
  • Licensees may request reconsideration if a site no longer qualifies as a government or public benefit site.
  • Abuse of zero-rated access may lead to suspension or removal from the zero-rated list.

9. Abuse and fair use policy

To prevent abuse and protect network quality:

  • Users are limited to 300 MB per day and 2 GB per month per device.
  • Licensees may block access if:
    • A user exceeds the fair-use limit;
    • Security threats or exploitative tunneling are detected.
  • Suspended sites will revert to standard data billing until the issue is resolved.
  • ICASA shares reported abuse cases across all licensees within 3 business days.

10. Key contacts and support

For technical or procedural queries:

11. Recommended preparation by departments

Before applying:

  • Ensure your website is fully functional and publicly accessible.
  • Confirm that the IP address is static and hosted in South Africa.
  • Remove unnecessary external links or embedded content.
  • Prepare a clear 300-word motivation explaining how your site serves the public.
  • Coordinate with your departmental ICT unit to provide technical information.

Based on: ICASA General Notice 2450 of 2024, Government Gazette No. 50612 (2 May 2024)