In a world where connectivity creates opportunity, millions of South Africans still sit on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Approximately 21% of the population – around 13,6-million people – remain offline, locked out of the digital economy because internet access is intermittent or too expensive.
Vuyani Jarana, CEO of Ilitha Telecommunications, says that this doesn’t have to be the case. To meet digital inclusion goals and enable affordable, meaningful broadband connectivity in every home, the traditional business model must be reimagined.
“Investment in digital infrastructure must be about more than just statistics,” says Jarana. “These unconnected households are families with children who want to be doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and engineers. Meaningful connectivity unlocks opportunities to improve the future sustainability of these families and our country. Leaving them out condemns yet another generation to poverty.”
As Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi recently noted, connectivity is no longer a privilege but a prerequisite for economic participation, education, innovation, and growth.
What is meaningful connectivity?
Meaningful connectivity is an all-access pass to the digital economy, levelling the playing field. And it’s more than just being online – it’s about affordable, reliable access that’s within reach of every community.
“South Africa already has high smartphone penetration, so people have the means to connect, but we need to solve for the costs,” explains Jarana. “Underserved communities cannot rely on expensive mobile data alone.”
Without it, the internet becomes a scarce resource that must be rationed: do I connect with my family, download a lecture, or stream a soccer match? Can I rely on it to run my business? Decisions that are taken for granted in homes with high-speed broadband.
Why the last mile still fails
For many operators, building into lower-income areas is commercially harder than urban rollouts: physical distance, low ARPU (average revenue per user), and backhaul costs make the maths unfavourable for traditional models.
Jarana points to the economics and the model-mismatch: “The standard commercial models created for high-income areas don’t meet the needs of township markets. You can’t follow traditional models and expect success.”
He argues that affordable, community-anchored models – not one-size-fits-all rollouts – will close the persistent digital divide.
Through a fractional use model, Jarana believes the township market is commercially viable.
He uses the simple analogy of a loaf of bread to explain Ilitha’s approach to this market. “Some families can afford to buy a full loaf of bread every day, some only a quarter – how do you make sure that the people who can only afford and need a quarter don’t go hungry?”
The equivalent for connectivity is fractional use and shared access – network hotspots and commercial models that allow neighbours, learners, and micro-enterprises to access capacity without buying a costly, full-price subscription.
“Fractional use lets you monetise the asset even when the individual can’t afford a full, traditional subscription,” Jarana explains. “This is how you make connectivity inclusive.”
By re-engineering consumption models, not just rolling more fibre into cities, providers can lower the practical cost of access and broaden uptake.
Anchor infrastructure and the role of public-private partnerships
Alongside fractional use models, anchoring provides significant opportunities to expand connectivity to rural and township households.
Jarana highlights the SA Connect Project and the Eastern Cape’s fibre partnership with Liquid Intelligent Technologies as an impactful strategy to create backbone demand and build a long-term digital economy.
“We believe that collaboration over competition is central to successful digital transformation. Every rural cluster should have a point of presence for high-capacity internet – at least 10 gig capacity per cluster,” he says.
“If intelligent digital infrastructure is brought to the community to connect state facilities such as schools and clinics, several ISPs and SMEs can piggyback on it and connect homes in the surrounding area on a commercially viable basis.”
He adds that public-private collaboration that sets fair pricing for downstream access is crucial to making this model sustainable.
Jobs, education and digital enablement
Ilitha’s approach pairs infrastructure with human capital. Their model trains and hires local residents for installation and maintenance rather than bringing in external teams, turning each village into a local employment and skills hub.
With meaningful connectivity, new opportunities emerge for online learning and remote work, giving people the option to earn an income without having to leave their communities.
“We have seen digital enablement solve everyday challenges,” shares Jarana. “In some rural villages, residents now use remote security cameras to monitor their kraals at night and their homes when they return to the city. Connectivity opens the door for people to create their own solutions.”
Building the digital jobs agenda and enabling virtual education are essential. “Once households can generate income through digital enablement, they also become more connected – we grow together,” he says.
A call to policy and partnership
Jarana urges policymakers, investors, and private players to prioritise initiatives that will change connectivity from a luxury to a foundation for inclusive growth.
“Internet access is a basic human right that can exacerbate or bridge economic and cultural divides. Once communities become active participants in the digital economy, the potential for progress is limitless,” concludes Jarana.