A website has been established to allow students protesting South African university fee increases to receive mobile data for free, donated by fellow South Africans. Donors can even use Bitcoin.

The brainchild of Ruark Ferreira, people can donate money to allow students to buy data in 100MB increments from the mobile operators.

“The students on the ground need to document this movement to the world… Unfortunately, data isn’t free and many of them cannot afford to share rich media,” according to a donor application form set up by Ferreira.

After completing the form, prospective donors will get access to a “data request” Google Docs spreadsheet. They then log on to their Internet banking website or mobile banking app and buy a
100MB data bundle for one student (or more if they can afford it).

Donors can buy 100MB bundles from Cell C (R19), MTN (R35), Vodacom (R29) and Telkom Mobile (R29).

“Once you’re done, you simply add a ‘yes’ next to [the] entry so we don’t double-donate to one student,” the website says.

“We require a Gmail (or Google Apps-powered e-mail) [address] to give you access to the data request spreadsheet.”

Those with a technical bent can use a Bitcoin wallet for donations. “We will convert the wallet later today (Friday, 23 October) and donate data from it if you prefer to remain hush hush.”