Welcome to the Summer of Datanaires 

You know the feeling. The braai is just getting going, someone asks who’s on the Bluetooth, and your phone flashes that low-data warning. Eish. Now picture the opposite: the playlist outlasts the last coals, the family video call runs so long that every “okay, bye” turns into another 20 minutes, and nobody’s checking their balance. That’s a Datanaire summer, and this year, Telkom wants as many South Africans as possible to live one.   

So, what is a Datanaire? 

A Datanaire is someone who’s rich in the things that make summer feel like summer, like data and FREE* calls. It’s being rich in the “I’ll send you the full video, not a screenshot” sense. 

You’ve probably met a few. Datanaires are: 

• The big senders, dropping voice notes longer than most podcasts. 
• The FREE* call makers who can turn a short story into a long one (and usually do). 
• The streamers who get through a whole series in one weekend without thinking twice. 
• The ones who call first and check their balance… never. 

For a Datanaire, “insufficient funds to make this call” isn’t a message they get. It’s fake news. 

Why does data matter so much in a Mzansi summer?

Because so much of our summer happens on our phones, from December road trips home, family spread across three provinces, festivals, beach days, to the yearly group chat debate about whose house is hosting Christmas lunch. 

Data is quietly doing the heavy lifting behind all of it by 

• Finding the next turn when the map reroutes you through a town you’ve never heard of. 
• Checking the Durban weather, seeing a 60% chance of rain, and going anyway. 
• Going live when your cousin finally tries that backflip into the pool. 
• Catching the goal when you can’t be at the stadium. 
• Calling home when you’re the one who couldn’t make it back this year. 

When data runs low, those moments get rationed. You skip the video. You send a text instead of calling. Or you wait until you’re near WiFi. Datanaires don’t have to make those trade-offs. They’re too busy counting memories to count megabytes. 

What does being a Datanaire feel like? 

Mostly, it feels like saying yes more often. Yes to one more episode, yes to the long catch-up with your bestie in Cape Town, and yes to sending the whole wedding album to the family group instead of picking your top three. That’s what the Summer of Datanaires is about: more scrolling, more streaming, more sharing and, honestly, more summer.

Do you need deep pockets to be a Datanaire? 

Not at all, and that’s the best part. Most of us know the monthly data dance by heart. You buy a bundle, guard it like the last piece of chicken at a family lunch, and hope it lasts until month-end. Being a Datanaire isn’t about how much you earn. It’s about how far your data and calls can stretch. So, a student in Makhanda, a taxi driver in Thembisa and a gran in Gqeberha who just wants to see her grandkids’ faces on a Sunday can all be one.

Where does Telkom come in? 

This summer, Telkom is giving you the chance to stretch your last R29 into a shot at your share of R500 million in cash and prizes*. That comes with data that doesn’t cost an arm and a lag, and calls that are mahala* every day. 

If you’re already with Telkom, you’re one tap closer than you think. If you’re not, now’s a good time to grab a Telkom SIM and get in on it. 

This is the summer for longer stories 

Summer in Mzansi doesn’t wait for anyone. The long weekends are lining up, the stories are getting longer, and the group chats are already warming up. 

So, be the one with data to spare. Be the one who calls first. Be rich in data, FREE* calls and loads of prizes. 

How do I become a Datanaire? 

This is the Summer of Datanaires. Here’s how you can become one:

This summer, buy a Prepaid bundle for R29 or more and get FREE* Telkom-to-Telkom calls. Or take up one of our great summer mobile deals, play Tap2Win for a chance at some seriously lekker prizes, and download the MyTelkom App so you never miss a thing.

Ts & Cs apply. FREE* calls are Telkom-to-Telkom only.