In a world where connectivity is increasingly synonymous with opportunity, an estimated 13.6 million South Africans—approximately 21% of the population—remain cut off from the digital economy, according to a recent analysis. The primary barriers are persistent: internet access is either unaffordable or too unreliable for meaningful use.
The stark figures were discussed in a wide-ranging interview with Vuyani Jarana, CEO of Ilitha Telecommunications, who argued that this digital exclusion is not inevitable. “To meet digital inclusion goals and enable affordable, meaningful broadband connectivity in every home, the traditional business model must be re-imagined,” Jarana stated.
Jarana emphasized that solving the crisis hinges on two factors: availability and affordability. He pointed to collaboration between infrastructure providers, especially in rural areas, as a key to lowering delivery costs and creating viable business models. He cited a large-scale government project in the Eastern Cape to connect schools, clinics, and hospitals with high-capacity optic fiber as a positive example of foundational work that smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can leverage.
“Partnerships, collaborations, sharing of infrastructure become super important. We have to do this to make sure we include the people who otherwise would have no chance,” Jarana said.
However, the conversation also turned to the regulatory environment, which some analysts argue can simultaneously enable and inhibit progress. While Jarana praised South Africa’s “very advanced” policies on infrastructure sharing, he urged a move beyond what he termed the “politics” of technology preferences.
This point touches on a high-profile regulatory stalemate involving Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink. The company’s application to operate in South Africa has been impeded by the country’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) laws. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) requires a 30% ownership stake from historically disadvantaged groups for new spectrum licensees. Starlink’s corporate structure has not met this requirement, preventing its licensing and keeping a potential tool for rural connectivity out of the market.
Jarana, while acknowledging satellite technology has a role to play, argued the focus should shift. “We should move away from the debate around Starlink and others… The big part of the mix is delivering hardcore, ground-based infrastructure into rural areas.”
Beyond access, Jarana linked digital inclusion to solving systemic national challenges. He stated that digital universities could lower the cost of higher education and that a massive infrastructure rollout could create jobs and enable a new generation of local ISPs. He also addressed ethical concerns around Artificial Intelligence (AI), stressing the need for governance to eliminate bias but arguing that “the upside of implementing digitization and AI is huge.”
The CEO concluded with a note of urgency, warning that South Africa risks missing a major opportunity. “If we don’t do anything fast, we may miss a big part of that opportunity, especially for those who live outside the metros, outside the opportunity areas.”
The discussion highlights the complex landscape of South Africa’s digital inclusion efforts, where urgent needs for investment and infrastructure collide with policy debates and empowerment requirements, leaving millions waiting for a connection.