(Ecofin Agency) - The Cabinet of President Cyril Ramaphosa (pictured) approved last January 28 the rollout of the second phase of SA Connect, the national broadband policy.

The government said the second phase of the SA Connect project will be implemented by public entities, including the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Broadband Infraco, Sentech, in collaboration with private companies. It aims to provide 80% of public administrations, communities, and homes with broadband access over the next three years. The speed will vary between 10 megabits per second (Mbps) and 100 Mbps depending on the actual need expressed.

The SA Connect project was launched in 2013 as part of the country's broadband policy. It aims to enable every South African to access a broadband connection at 2.5% or less of the average monthly income. Phase 1 of the project, which served as a test module, focused on providing 10 Mbps Internet connectivity to nearly 970 key government offices. A total of 6,135 public services were expected to be covered. These include schools, health facilities, post offices, police stations, and administrative offices. But budget constraints have forced the government to reduce the number.

Since 2020, the demand for connectivity among the population has been increasing in South Africa. The government is betting on the SA Connect project to "bridge the digital divide, particularly in rural communities, and advance the digital economy."

Isaac K. Kassouwi