{
  "id": 15846552,
  "title": "ELECTION 2026 | ‘No network, no voting’: Campbell residents struggle to call ambulances",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/election-2026-no-network-no-voting-campbell-residents-struggle-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T05:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Health-e News",
    "slug": "health-e-news",
    "url": "https://health-e.org.za/2026/10/21/election-2026-no-network-no-voting-campbell-residents-struggle-to-call-ambulances/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the remote South African town of Campbell, residents are facing a severe issue that is impacting their ability to call for emergency services. A lack of reliable cell phone network coverage in the area has left many without a way to reach ambulances or the police when they are needed most.\n\nBrenda Muleba, a 36-year-old resident whose sister went into labor, had to walk a full kilometer to a spot with some network signal to call for help. She spoke of her fear and the dangerous situation she was put in by the poor coverage. Other residents, including Nomsa Mamathumntsha, have also struggled to call for assistance when a man was stabbed in the street. In one instance, she had to walk to higher ground before finally reaching someone who could connect her to emergency services.\n\nThe issue of poor network coverage has become such a pressing concern that residents are calling for immediate action. During a recent visit to Campbell, Health-e News found residents carrying signs outside the Musina Municipality satellite office, reading \"No network, no voting.\" Some residents have threatened not to participate in the upcoming local elections scheduled for November if the network problems are not resolved.\n\nDespite a resolution passed by the Musina Municipal Council in August 2026 to develop a cellphone network tower in Nancefield Extension 7, progress has been slow. Ward 6 councillor Victor Manavhela has urged the council to expedite the project. Community leader Remember Rabali, a longtime resident, expressed frustration, stating that over 20 years have passed without adequate cellphone coverage in the area. The Musina municipality spokesperson, Wilson Dzebu, clarified that network connectivity is under the jurisdiction of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and that they have engaged with ICASA regarding the network challenges faced by the municipality.",
  "summary": "Health-e News 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…",
  "key_points": [
    "Residents of Campbell face severe issue due to lack of reliable cell phone network coverage.",
    "Emergency services inaccessible as residents walk long distances to reach signal.",
    "Network coverage issue threatens upcoming local elections in November."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Persistent infrastructure failures in remote areas are transforming basic connectivity into a prerequisite for civic participation, as residents leverage their voting power to demand essential emergency services.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}