GOVERNMENT EXPANDS ON CONNECTIVITY!

South Africa is ramping up efforts to ensure that affordable, reliable and meaningful internet access reaches every citizen, particularly those living in poor and rural communities, according to Minister Solly Malatsi.

Speaking under the theme, “Digital Lifelines: strengthening resilience in a connected world,” the Communications and Digital Technologies minister emphasised the growing importance of digital infrastructure in modern society.

In his recent Budget Speech on 12 May, Malatsi reckons reliable connectivity is now considered essential for education, healthcare, communication, business operations and emergency response services.

While South Africa has made significant progress in expanding connectivity, government acknowledged that major challenges still remain.

A recent Digital Infrastructure Investment Study found that only 2.2% of South African households still lack connectivity access, said Malatsi through his budget speech.

However, he stressed that simply having network coverage is no longer enough if citizens cannot afford devices, data or the digital skills needed to participate fully in the digital economy.

The country’s focus is now shifting beyond universal access towards meaningful connectivity.

This includes making internet services more affordable, increasing smartphone ownership and ensuring that citizens can use digital platforms to improve their livelihoods and economic opportunities.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies reiterated that its primary role is not to directly build towers or fibre networks, but rather to create an enabling environment through effective policy, regulation and collaboration with the private sector.

Several achievements over the past year were highlighted.

The removal of ad valorem excise duties on entry-level smartphones resulted in increased smartphone sales after years of decline, helping more South Africans move from basic feature phones to internet-enabled devices.

Government also launched eight cyber-labs across the country to provide digital skills training for young people, with plans already in place to establish 10 additional labs during the current financial year.

Improvements in governance within key state entities were also noted.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) both recorded improved audit outcomes following years of instability and governance concerns, he indicated.

Despite these gains, government admitted that serious challenges persist.

“The long-delayed analogue switch-off and digital migration process remains unresolved, while several state entities continue to struggle with governance and financial pressures,” he said.

“To improve accountability, government has introduced new oversight measures, including lifestyle audits for leadership across departments and state entities.

“For the 2026/27 financial year, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has been allocated R2.549 billion, with a large portion of the budget transferred to entities such as ICASA, the SABC and the South African Post Office.”

He acknowledged that limited funding can no longer be used as an excuse for under-performance, emphasizing the importance of stronger partnerships with the private sector to accelerate affordable internet access.

Government further admitted that full state ownership of some entities may no longer be sustainable, suggesting that strategic partnerships with private investors could help expand digital infrastructure more efficiently.

South Africa continues to attract strong private investment in the ICT sector, with more than R56 billion recently committed to major digital infrastructure projects.

“Looking ahead, government plans to modernise telecommunications policies and regulations, increase competition, reduce infrastructure deployment costs and improve affordability for consumers,” he outlined.

“Work is also underway to revise South Africa’s Artificial Intelligence policy following concerns about the irresponsible use of generative AI during the drafting process.”

Government concluded by stressing that the country’s digital future depends not only on network coverage, but also on ensuring that all South Africans can actively participate in the digital economy through affordable, secure and meaningful internet access.