South Africa: Election 2026 | ‘No Network, No Voting’ – Campbell Residents Struggle to Call Ambulances

When Forget Ndou’s sister went into labour in March this year, she had to run about a kilometre from her home at 2am to find a cellphone signal so she could call an ambulance.

The 36-year-old Brenda Muleba was experiencing labour pains, but Ndou says she could not make the call from home because of poor network coverage. “There is a spot near the railway line about a kilometre from my home where the network is sometimes accessible. To save the situation, I had to brave the night to the spot. I was really scared,” she says.

Ndou tried calling for about an hour before finally getting through at around 3am. She says the ambulance arrived about an hour later at 4am. “This was really a nasty experience. How was I going to handle the situation if my sister gave birth at home?” she asks.

Emergency calls affected

When Health-e News visited Campbell on 15 October, residents were carrying placards outside the Musina Municipality satellite office reading “No network, no voting”. Some Campbell residents are threatening not to vote in the upcoming November local elections unless the area’s cell phone network problem is addressed.

In January, another Campbell resident, Nomsa Mamathumntsha also struggled to call an ambulance after finding a 30-year-old man who had been stabbed in the street. Mamathumntsha says she rushed outside after hearing someone screaming at around 9pm. She says the injured man was struggling to sit up and could not walk.

Mamathumntsha says her calls for an ambulance would not connect because of poor network coverage. She walked to higher ground and, after several attempts, managed to contact the police, who arranged an ambulance. According to Mamathumntsha, police and paramedics arrived at the same time. The man was taken to Musina hospital and survived.

In August, Health-e News reported on healthcare access in Campbell. Resident Norah Ndlovu also raised concerns about the difficulty of contacting ambulance services.

At the time Campbell said residents are also worried about their safety when they have to head out late at night to make emergency calls.

“If someone gets sick at night, walking to an area with network coverage creates another challenge,” she said.

Residents still waiting for network tower

On 28 August 2026, Musina Municipal Council adopted a resolution concerning the development of a cellphone network tower in Nancefield Extension 7, Campbell. In a letter dated 14 October, Ward 6 councillor Victor Manavhela urged Khongoloti Consultant to speed up the project before the elections.

Read Ward 6 councillor Victor Manavhela’s letter dated 14 October 2026, referring to the council resolution approving a cellular network tower in Campbell, Musina.

Manavhela said Campbell had been without adequate cellphone coverage for more than 20 years and requested that construction begin as soon as possible, followed by installation and activation of the network.

Community leader Remember Rabali, who was born and raised in Campbell, says residents are frustrated by the lack of progress. “We last noted the August 2026 council resolution about construction of network towers but still we do not witness any progress,” says Rabali.

He says residents often have to walk to the railway line to make calls, despite the area being a crime hotspot, particularly at night.

Musina municipality spokesperson Wilson Dzebu says network connectivity falls under the mandate of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). “Engagements are in place with ICASA in relation to all areas with network challenges around Musina Municipality,” says Dzebu.