JOHANNESBURG, 11 February 2025 – Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and its partners are launching the
10th annual Web Rangers project, in celebration of Safer Internet Day, under the day’s global theme
“Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online.”
Web Rangers is a digital and media literacy initiative designed to empower learners, parents and
schools to gain critical skills and knowledge around online safety and media literacy, which they use to
create innovative campaigns that promote safe internet usage and champion learner’s rights in the
digital world.
In partnership with the Department of Communication and Digital Technologies(DCDT), Google, Meta,
TikTok, Walt Disney, and Falcorp, this milestone year will empower over 750 learners and 25 teachers
across 5 provinces to become leaders in online safety and media literacy.
“Since 2016, Web Rangers has trained over 10,000 learners across South Africa,” says Project Lead
Phakamile Madonsela. “As we mark our 10th anniversary, we’re seeing the incredible ripple effect of our
work – our Web Rangers are becoming powerful advocates for digital safety in their communities and
beyond South Africa’s borders.”
The initiative’s success stems from its innovative approach: participants learn critical digital skills and
then create their own campaigns to promote safe internet usage and digital rights among their peers.
This peer-to-peer model has proven highly effective in building a nationwide network of active digital
citizens.
A quote that highlights the impact of the project on South African children is from Katlego Eunice
Mahlangu- A 2023 Web Ranger Ambassador who states that “the Web Rangers programme is quite
intriguing,I couldn’t have imagined a better way to learn.”
For further information on the project and related activities, please contact:
Phakamile Madonsela, phakamilek@mma.org.za; 011 788 1278
Follow Web Rangers on the various platforms:
Website: webrangers.co.za
● Twitter: @MediaMatters
● Instagram: @webrangersza
● Facebook: webrangersSA
About MMA
Media Monitoring Africa‘s vision is a responsible, quality media that enables an engaged and informed
citizenry in Africa and across the world. MMA aims to promote the development of a free, fair, ethical
and critical media culture in South Africa and the rest of the continent. To achieve MMA’s vision, the
three key areas that MMA seeks to address through a human rights-based approach are: media ethics,
media quality and media freedom.
For more information about MMA and its work with children visit www.mediamonitoringafrica.org