Today, access to the internet is as essential as electricity or running water. It’s how people find work, run a business, study, manage their money and stay connected to those they care about. Yet for too many South Africans, especially those living in rural or underserved communities, affordable, reliable internet remains out of reach. Terms like the digital divide are typically used to describe this phenomenon. But with such slogans, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that this profound lack of access holds back individuals, small businesses, and our country’s economic potential.
The internet is infrastructure
If we’re serious about growing South Africa’s economy and supporting entrepreneurs at every level, we need to start seeing the internet for what it truly is: vital infrastructure. Just as roads connect goods and people, the internet connects ideas, opportunities, skills and services. It allows an informal trader in Khayelitsha to order stock online, a student in Giyani to access online classes and a small business in Lusikisiki to apply for funding or accept digital payments.
When countries like India made access to affordable mobile data a priority, it helped fuel digital transformation which gave millions of people the tools to start businesses, upskill, and access essential services. On the African continent, we’re seeing how digital access is enabling farmers to get better prices for crops, families to send and receive money safely, and micro-enterprises to expand their reach. South Africa should be no different.
Left behind because they can’t connect
A comprehensive study by Research ICT Africa (2024) found that while cellphone internet coverage has expanded significantly in the country, only 34% of households have consistent access to the internet at home, up from just 12% in 2018.
Most South Africans depend on cellphones for connectivity, often through limited prepaid data plans that restrict meaningful usage. The study notes that “data prices may have fallen, but for low-income households, affordability remains a barrier to digital equity.”
This gap in access prevents meaningful participation in society. Without internet access, students fall behind in a digitally driven education system. Job seekers find it difficult to find and apply for positions or prepare for interviews. Small businesses and informal traders are excluded from the growing digital economy and cannot access markets or manage transactions efficiently. Families are often disconnected from critical healthcare resources and the necessary tools to bank or budget.
The same study found that over half of households (52.3%) remain offline in communities like Mkatazo village in the Eastern Cape, because of infrastructure limitations, cost barriers and limited digital literacy. These aren’t isolated stories. They reflect a national challenge that must be addressed with collective urgency.
We all have a role to play
Collective – rather than individual action – is the key to long-term solutions. We need a society where telecom providers invest in accessible, affordable networks. Where the government enables infrastructure and innovation through policy reform. A market where financial institutions extend services to underserved areas. And our collective effort is directed to make sure no one is excluded just because of where they live or how much they earn.
With this collaborative foundation, emerging technologies like low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites can be introduced in a way that brings real change. This innovative tech doesn’t rely on cables or towers, just clear skies. That means a farmer in the Free State or a learner in rural Mpumalanga could get the same high-speed internet as someone in Sandton. It’s a real, achievable leap forward.
A future built on inclusion
The World Bank reports that just a 10% increase in broadband access can lift a developing country’s GDP by up to1.4%. This can unlock the kind of growth needed to transform a society. When we connect more people, we create more opportunities, more jobs, and more possibilities.
Our approach remains rooted in enabling access that empowers people and businesses to grow. We believe that real progress happens when technology serves communities, and that starts by ensuring no one is left behind because they cannot get online. Together, we can shape a future where digital access is treated not as a luxury but as a basic right.
- Francois Viviers, Group Executive for Marketing and Communications, Capitec
