Shenzhen, China – Media OutReach Newswire – December 10, 2025 – Across South Africa, millions of people still struggle to connect to the internet, limiting their access to education, jobs and opportunities. As the government accelerates its SA Connect broadband strategy, Huawei and Broadband InfraCo are helping expand high-speed connectivity to underserved communities. For young people like Godfrey, the digital future is finally within reach.
“Without the Internet, there would be no modern life.” That is the honest conclusion of Godfrey, a young South African.
He’s not wrong. South Africa has one of the highest internet penetration rates on the continent, but the digital divide persists and many young people like Godfrey and their families lack access to the internet. They are desperate to connect and change their lives.
Change is now underway. With the rollout of SA Connect, the national broadband strategy, the ‘digital highway’ of the future stretches from urban to rural areas.
Voices from people who are not connected
Godfrey lives in Diepsloot, Gauteng, a densely populated and underserved town. Weak broadband infrastructure leaves most households, including Godfrey’s, without connectivity.
“The internet has given me a glimpse into life beyond the small space I live in,” Godfrey says. “But the rest of the time, we can’t take any further steps because of the poor connectivity here.”
Godfrey, who is the breadwinner of the family, works part-time and is aiming to become a barista. But with hours of studying online, no broadband at home, and the prohibitive cost of mobile data, staying connected is a luxury. Godfrey puts her phone on airplane mode to save data, fills out a job application offline, and then walks 1.2 kilometers to the nearest shopping mall for an hour of free Wi-Fi. So he sent out a large number of application documents every day, but was unable to participate in the video interview at short notice after returning to Japan. Godfrey’s story is echoed by many more communities left behind by digital transformation.
Building South Africa’s digital highway
To bridge the digital divide, the South African government launched the SA Connect National Broadband Strategy, with the goal of providing affordable, reliable, high-capacity broadband access to all South Africans by 2030.
Broadband Infraco (BBI), a state-owned company, is charged with expanding South Africa’s broadband infrastructure by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT). In collaboration with Huawei, Broadband Infraco is building an intelligent all-optical backbone network that directly supports the goals of SA Connect.
Gift Zois, CEO of Broadband Infraco, said: “We are committed to DCDT’s flagship broadband connectivity project, which is one of SA Connect’s key objectives, making connectivity inclusive and delivering stable, high-capacity broadband to all South African communities and government facilities by 2030.”
Broadband Infraco will utilize Huawei’s next-generation optical cross-connect (OXC) technology to provide 800G wavelengths throughout the network. This is a state-of-the-art infrastructure leap forward that supports SA Connect’s ambitions to expand broadband access. It will also enable large amounts of data to be transferred between cities and data centres, powering applications in healthcare, education, e-commerce and e-government, as well as driving South Africa’s digital economy.
Expanding comprehensive connectivity with all-optical broadband
Through an intelligent all-optical backbone and partnerships with local service providers, BBI has connected more than 13,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots and more than 2 million homes in underserved and rural areas across the country, transforming network connectivity in these areas.
Nomso Kana, CEO of local ISP SimSciex, said: “Improving internet access is key to driving economic growth. With the reliable network built by BBI, we have expanded rural and residential network coverage with high-quality broadband, enabled remote work, fostered employment, and helped small and medium-sized businesses enter new markets.”
Ms Godfrey is optimistic knowing her area is included in the SA Connect scheme, despite limited connectivity within the community. With fiber optic and Wi-Fi coverage planned by the end of 2026 and more affordable packages for disadvantaged communities, SA Connect will bring the digital world closer to remote areas. For many young people like Godfrey, digital life is finally within reach.
Towards the realization of the 2030 vision
As the first 800G intelligent optical backbone network deployed by a government sector, this infrastructure will not only bring comprehensive benefits to South Africa, but will also serve as a key driver of the digital economy. By 2030, rapid growth in applications such as telemedicine, smart cities, and artificial intelligence is expected to increase demand for capacity and services. The backbone network aims to reduce connectivity costs and accelerate progress in areas such as healthcare, education, e-commerce, and e-government.
BBI has completed the construction of a 100G/400G/800G backbone network across Gauteng and various regions in the north, with the aim of enhancing cross-border high-speed connectivity across the SADC region. The complete highway will span all nine states and extend to the borders of six neighboring countries.
“We are working together to build one of the best national broadband infrastructures in South Africa, which will guide South Africa towards its 2030 vision of equal participation in the digital age,” said Broadband Infraco CEO Gift Zowa.
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