213 free Wi-Fi internet zones have been rolled out at schools in South Africa’s City of Tshwane (which encapsulates Pretoria), north of Johannesburg.

The roll-out forms part of phase two of the city’s free Wi-Fi roll-out. Non-profit Project Isizwe has partnered with the city to help it activate the networks across all phases of the project.

Last year, Project Isizwe helped the City of Tshwane activate free Wi-Fi in locations such as Church Square in the central business district (CBD), the University of Pretoria (UP) in Hatfield and a community centre in the township of Mamelodi.

And phase two of the project sees the roll-out at schools in Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Soshanguve.

A fair usage policy limits users to a data cap of 250MB per device per day, and the service also prohibits access to certain websites such as adult content.

“The City of Tshwane is showing the country that Internet access can be treated as a basic service, the same as water and electricity,” said Project Isizwe chief executive officer Alan Knott-Craig Jr in a statement.

“It’s not a question of ‘if’ internet access will one day be a basic free service for all residents of South Africa, it’s a question of ‘when’. Tshwane is leading the way in showing how to make it a reality sooner rather than later," added Knott-Craig in a statement.

Meanwhile, phase three of the project is planned to start in August 2014, comprising 400 sites and capacity for a further two million users, with an emphasis on healthcare facilities throughout low-income communities, says an Isizwe statement..

"By July 2015 the City aims to have capacity for at least three million users on public access Free WiFi, covering all clinics, schools, parks, sports clubs and other public spaces," says the Project Isizwe team in a statement.