Cape Town – The South African government’s SA Connect broadband connectivity project is advancing rapidly, with significant progress reported in its second phase. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni shared these updates during a media briefing on the outcomes of a recent Cabinet meeting.
According to South African Government News Agency, Phase 2 of the project has already achieved notable milestones, including the connection of 1,000 households to broadband. Additionally, plans are underway to install 1,000 community Wi-Fi hotspots by December 2023. The project also focuses on providing affordable internet connectivity to households, offering unlimited access for R249 per month, and data costs as low as R5 for one gig per day.
The SA Connect project’s primary goal is to bridge the digital divide by ensuring internet access for households and government institutions, while also providing Wi-Fi access to communities nationwide. The project is expected to contribute significantly to economic participation by creating 4,505 semi-skilled and 169 skilled job opportunities and supporting over 75 small to medium-sized companies.
Furthermore, the project will provide high demand spectrum to numerous educational, health, and tribal authority facilities. Over the next few months, more than 18,000 schools, 943 libraries, 5,731 health facilities, and 8,241 tribal authorities will benefit from the initiative, fulfilling social obligations to telecommunications companies.
Ntshavheni anticipates that SA Connect will deliver connectivity to over five million households and establish 32,000 community Wi-Fi hotspots across the country within the next 36 months.
In addition to broadband connectivity, Ntshavheni also highlighted progress in broadcasting digital migration. As of July 23, 2023, all 123 analogue transmitters above 694 MHz were switched off in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, and Gauteng. This switch-off is crucial for freeing up spectrum needed for mobile broadband and other information and communications technology needs.
The Cabinet was informed that the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies has set December 2024 as the final date for the switch-off of all analogue broadcasting services. The government is confident that this target date will be met, marking a significant step in South Africa’s digital transformation.