The goal is to move from a siloed approach to a more integrated model. By coordinating the rollout and management of public fiber, the government hopes to spend smarter, reduce costs, and accelerate the expansion of high-speed internet to underserved areas.
South Africa is moving to better coordinate and integrate its public fiber-optic infrastructure across state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in an effort to expand connectivity, reduce duplication, and lower costs. Currently, several SOEs such as Eskom, Transnet, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral), and Broadband Infraco each operate their own fiber networks, often laid alongside their core infrastructure such as power lines, railways, and roads. While these networks collectively cover significant ground, they have historically been fragmented, underutilized, and poorly aligned, leading to inefficiencies.
Government’s new approach aims to pool these assets into a more cohesive national fiber backbone that can complement private sector investments and accelerate broadband rollout. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is leading this initiative, working to harmonize policies, map existing infrastructure, and establish governance frameworks for sharing capacity across SOEs. By aligning networks, government expects to cut costs associated with building parallel infrastructure, increase efficiency in maintenance and upgrades, and extend high-speed internet access to underserved areas.
This coordinated model could also improve competitiveness in the telecoms sector by creating more open access to reliable, affordable fiber infrastructure. It aligns with South Africa’s broader National Digital and Spectrum Policy, which prioritizes universal access to broadband as a driver of economic growth, education, e-government, and social inclusion.
Industry experts note that while this consolidation effort is promising, it will require overcoming institutional silos, commercial rivalries between SOEs, and potential regulatory challenges. Effective leadership, clear rules for access and pricing, and collaboration with the private sector will be key to success. If executed well, the strategy could unlock latent value in South Africa’s public fiber assets and play a central role in achieving the country’s digital transformation goals.
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