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7 Places You Wouldn't Expect To Find Wireless Internet In Cape Town
Our guide to making a unique (Wi-fi) connection in the city
The Mother City is filled with countless quirky coffee shops and chic restaurants that offer complimentary internet access to their clients (here are some of our favourite Wi-fi places). But you already knew that. What you may not have known is that there are civic spaces, like squares and gardens, and even entire towns that serve up wireless internet too. So without further ado, we bring you the guide to unusual Cape Town hot spots where you can find an internet connection. And don’t worry about the bill, all of the places included in the overview offer surfing time for free!
Harrington Square
The result of a multi-faceted partnership (Cape Town Partnership, District Six Museum, Charly’s Bakery, Woodheads, The Bank, and Connected Space), this Fringe-based hot spot aims to make the internet more accessible to the city. At the moment, the area mainly comprises a parking lot, but Wi-fi innovators Connected Space will be building walkways and benches in the zone and bringing life to the walls of the square with help from local designers and artists to make the space more of an attractive stopping point.
Connect: In the Harrington parking lot or at Charly’s Bakery.
Enjoy: 100MB of data p/p per day (thereafter additional vouchers can be collected free of charge from the District Six Museum).
How to login: Register an account by creating an email address (you won’t be spammed)
Where to find this spot: In the shared parking lot across from Charly’s Bakery, The Fugard Theatre and Dias Tavern.
IKhaya le Langa visitor centre in the Langa Quarter Precinct
A social upliftment project, the Langa Quarter is made up of thirteen streets that include a total of 500 homes, roughly 7000 people in the Langa township and various jazz venues, art galleries and restaurants. Spearheaded by social entrepreneur Tony Elvin, the initiative aims to improve the safety aspect and tourism appeal of the area and boost the residents’ sense of home pride. As part of this community development endeavour, free internet has been made accessible to the community at the IKhaya le Langa visitor centre as well as nine unique-to-South Africa tablets and 20 Nokia Lumia smartphones (sponsored by Microsoft). Computer skills are being taught to the township community and Justin Maier of Microsoft Mobile Devices says that, “with Wi-fi hot spots available in [this] township, this is the perfect opportunity to enable this community to be digitally empowered.” As an added bonus, the visitor centre offers good coffee and a wood-burning stove.
Connect: In the mobile library at the iKhaya le Langa visitor centre
Enjoy: 100MB of data p/p per day
How to login: Click on 'Langa Free Wifi' once on the landing page and sign up using your email address.
Where to find the spot: On Ndabeni Street in Langa
St. Andrew’s Square
Known to many as Prestwich Memorial, this Green Point zone offers free (and unlimited!) internet that can be enjoyed indoors at the Truth coffee shop, outside from a bench, or on the grounds of the square’s green lawn.
Connect: Inside Prestwich Memorial, at Truth coffee or at the outdoor facilities of the square.
Enjoy: Unlimited data
How to login: Select the network ‘GreenPointCID- FreeWi-Fi’ from available options.
Where to find the spot: In Waterkant, after the fan walk bridge, on the corner of Buitengracht and Riebeek streets, the latter of which becomes Somerset Road in Green Point.
McDonald’s
For those in-a-jam-gotta-send-that-email-but-need-to-fill-that-hole-in-my-belly moments (which normally occur around 2am), nearly all of the McDonald’s eateries have 50MB available for customers, which is just enough to use up while you wait for your meat sandwich.
Connect: Inside at nearly all of the McDonald’s in Cape Town.
Enjoy: 50MB of data p/p per meal
How to login: SMS “FREE” plus your email address to 32707 for daily login code. Note: This SMS costs R1.
Where to find the spot: McDonald’s outlets across Cape Town
Stellenbosch
Peaceful Stellenbosch commanded the spotlight in early 2012 as the first town in South Africa to offer free municipal Wi-fi. Launched as a passion project between Mxit, Stellenbosch municipality and the University of Stellenbosch, the initiative has since lost momentum and many of the team leaders have moved on to other projects. These days the main streets in the central town area continue to act as Wi-fi hotbeds, but the connection is not fully reliable. Plans to extend to the outer areas of the dorp seem to have been abandoned.
Connect: In Stellenbosch’s town central.
Enjoy: 500MB of data p/p per day.
How to login: Select ‘Stellenbosch Free Wifi’ from the list.
Where to find the spot: Most active in the centre of Stellenbosch (Dorp Street, Church / Kerk Street and Plein Street)
Company’s Garden
Another Cape Town Partnership accomplishment, the city’s oldest historic site was given a modern injection with the installation of free internet in mid 2013. Emailers and internet surfers can now get online while kicking off their shoes and lying out on the lawn.
Connect: Outside the garden’s restaurant or on soft grass or a bench near the aviary.
Enjoy: 100MB of data p/p per day
How to login: Register an account by creating an email address (you won’t be spammed)
Where to find the spot: The gardens in the middle of the city, off Adderley and Queen Victoria streets.
8ta cabs
Private company 8ta launched free Wi-fi in 30 branded cabs across the city in 2012 to allow passengers to browse the web while they cruise the city.
Connect: Select ‘8ta Wi-Fi hotspot’ from the available options.
Enjoy: Unlimited (as long as you’re using the cab)
How to login: Select the network ‘8ta Wi-Fi hotspot’ from the available options
Where to find the spot: Nissan Lavinas branded with ‘60GB + 60GB’
St Georges Mall
We have Connected Space, the Central City Improvement District and the Cape Town Partnership to thank for this one! The top part of the broad (and sometimes busy) pedestrian walkway is now home to 100MB of gloriously free internet! This is part of a plan to make public spaces more valuable and useful to locals and tourists alike.
Connect: Top part of St Georges Mall (close to Taj Hotel & Company’s Garden)
Enjoy: 100 MB per user, per day.
How to login: Find network called “City Walk” and connect (first-time users will be asked to login to create an account).
Where to find the spot: Section of St Georges Mall between Wale and Church streets.
by Ondine Mond
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Keen to grab a coffee and browse the internet? Have a look at our 10 top Wi-fi restaurants and coffee shops in Cape Town.
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