South Africa has unveiled ambitious plans to address the digital gap by connecting 5.5 million rural and township households within the next three years, with an initial target of 1.5 million households to be connected this year.
South Africa Plans to Connect 5.5 Million Rural Households
Mondli Gungubele, the minister of communications and digital technologies, announced this initiative during a media briefing in Pretoria, emphasizing the government’s commitment to providing Wi-Fi access to communities and ensuring universal internet connectivity.
Gungubele stated, “We are dedicated to bridging the digital divide by providing Wi-Fi access to communities and ensuring universal access to the internet.”
He highlighted the significant progress made this year, with over 740,000 households connected to the internet through the installation of 4,250 Wi-Fi hotspots.
This initiative involved the participation of 76 Internet Service Providers, contributing to the creation of 4,500 direct jobs and numerous indirect opportunities downstream, particularly benefiting Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs).
South Africa’s commitment to closing the digital gap aligns with global efforts to enhance internet accessibility.
Achieving Universal Internet Access
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), revealed that mobile operator groups pledged over $9 billion to expand connectivity worldwide during the Mobile World Congress 2024.
Despite these efforts, approximately 2.6 billion people globally remain offline, according to data from the ITU, underscoring the ongoing challenges in achieving universal internet access and the importance of initiatives like South Africa’s to bridge the digital divide.
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