Chapter 03 · 2020–2026
5G, new cables and the remaining divide
Since 2020 South Africa has deployed 5G, auctioned high-demand spectrum and landed two further submarine cables. National coverage and international capacity are both higher than at any earlier point in this history. The differences that remain are between households.
Key figures
Three views of access: whether a household gets online at all, whether it has a fixed connection at home, and whether a 4G signal reaches the population. The coverage figure measures signal reach, not use or affordability.
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Households with at least one member accessing the internet
82.1%
2024 · South Africa · percent of households
A household is counted if any member accesses the internet by any means. This is the broadest access measure used in this chapter.
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Households with fixed internet at home
17.4%
2024 · South Africa · percent of households
Measured on the same basis as the 82.1% figure for any access, and far below it.
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National 4G population coverage
98.8%
2023 · South Africa · percent of population
Coverage is reported by licensees and measures signal reach, not use. It does not account for device ownership or affordability.
Where the gap is
Two views of the 2024 survey: first the ways households reached the internet, then one measure held constant across three provinces.
Scroll the chart sideways, or open its data table below.
The household access categories overlap and must not be added together.
Sources: Statistics South Africa
View data table: Household internet access by type, 2024
| Measure | Value | Year | Unit / population | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any access | 82.1% | 2024 | percent of households · households | South Africa | Statistics South Africa |
| Mobile devices | 75.6% | 2024 | percent of households · households | South Africa | Statistics South Africa |
| Connection at home | 17.4% | 2024 | percent of households · households | South Africa | Statistics South Africa |
Scroll the chart sideways, or open its data table below.
The same measure and year across three selected provinces. The axis runs from 0% to 100%.
Sources: Statistics South Africa
View data table: Fixed internet at home in three provinces, 2024
| Measure | Value | Year | Unit / population | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Cape | 44.9% | 2024 | percent of households · households | Western Cape | Statistics South Africa |
| Gauteng | 25.8% | 2024 | percent of households · households | Gauteng | Statistics South Africa |
| Eastern Cape | 8% | 2024 | percent of households · households | Eastern Cape | Statistics South Africa |
Another measure: individual internet use
The World Bank series counts individuals using the internet. The household figures above count households with access. Each answers a different question.
Showing the dated snapshot.
Scroll the chart sideways, or open its data table below.
Percentage of individuals, 2006–2024. Saved snapshot captured 2026-09-05. Data last updated 2026-07-13. In 2024, individual use was 78.36%; household access was 82.1%. These have different population bases and are not interchangeable.
Sources: World Bank Statistics South Africa
View data table: Individuals using the internet in South Africa
| Measure | Value | Year | Unit / population | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals using the internet, 2006 | 7.61% | 2006 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2007 | 8.07% | 2007 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2008 | 8.43% | 2008 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2009 | 10% | 2009 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2010 | 24% | 2010 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2011 | 33.97% | 2011 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2012 | 41% | 2012 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2013 | 46.5% | 2013 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2014 | 49% | 2014 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2015 | 51.92% | 2015 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2016 | 54% | 2016 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2017 | 56.17% | 2017 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2018 | 62.4% | 2018 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2019 | 69.7% | 2019 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2020 | 72.11% | 2020 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2021 | 74.97% | 2021 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2022 | 78.29% | 2022 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2023 | 78.34% | 2023 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
| Individuals using the internet, 2024 | 78.36% | 2024 | Percent of individuals · Individuals | South Africa | World Bank |
Different population bases, age groups and survey methods can produce different percentages. A household measure is not interchangeable with an individual-use measure. The dated snapshot remains available when a live update cannot be retrieved.
What happened
5G, spectrum and new cables
Vodacom launched a 5G network in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town in May 2020, using spectrum released temporarily during the COVID-19 national state of disaster. ICASA concluded its high-demand spectrum auction on 17 March 2022, raising more than R14.4 billion. Google's Equiano cable landed at Melkbosstrand in August 2022, and the core 2Africa system was completed in November 2025.
Spectrum availability was as much a condition of these deployments as the equipment itself. The auction changed an input into later network building; it is not evidence of a particular increase in user speeds.
Sources: Vodacom Group ICASA ITWeb Meta Engineering
What access looked like in 2024
The 2024 General Household Survey found that 82.1% of households had at least one member accessing the internet, and that 75.6% did so using mobile devices. 17.4% had fixed internet at home.
These categories overlap and must not be added together. The distance between 82.1% and 17.4% is the central finding of this project: many households can get online in some form, and far fewer have a fixed connection at the dwelling.
Sources: Statistics South Africa
Access depends on where you live
In 2024, 44.9% of Western Cape households had fixed internet at home, compared with 25.8% in Gauteng and 8.0% in the Eastern Cape. ICASA reported 98.8% national 4G population coverage for 2023. Rural 5G coverage in the Eastern Cape was 1%, against 33% in urban areas of the same province.
High 4G coverage and low fixed-home access are both accurate at the same time. Coverage figures are supplied by licensees and do not measure affordability or active use. The same ICASA report identifies load shedding as a network-continuity problem.
Sources: Statistics South Africa ICASA
Milestones, 2020–2026
Spectrum decisions, 5G deployment and the cables landing from 2020, in date order.
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Mobile network
5G launched using temporary spectrum
Vodacom launched a 5G network supporting mobile and fixed-wireless services in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town in May 2020, using spectrum released temporarily by ICASA during the COVID-19 national state of disaster.
Why this matters: Spectrum availability was a condition of the launch, not only equipment. Other operators had earlier trials or fixed-wireless services, so this records what Vodacom launched rather than a national first.
Sources: Vodacom Group
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Policy and regulation
ICASA concludes the spectrum auction
ICASA concluded its high-demand spectrum auction on 17 March 2022 after 58 main-auction rounds involving Cell C, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, MTN, Rain, Telkom and Vodacom. It raised more than R14.4 billion.
Why this matters: Operators obtained additional spectrum for capacity and coverage after years of scarcity. The auction changed an input into later deployment; it does not by itself demonstrate an increase in user speeds.
Sources: ICASA
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Submarine cable
Equiano lands at Melkbosstrand
Google's Equiano cable landed on the South African coast at Melkbosstrand on 8 August 2022.
Why this matters: International capacity continued to grow well after the run of cable launches between 2009 and 2012.
Sources: ITWeb
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Affordability
ICASA reports load shedding as a continuity risk
ICASA's State of the ICT Sector report to 31 March 2024 identified load shedding as a network-continuity problem, and recorded mobile-data revenue rising from about 40% of mobile-service revenue in 2019 to more than half in 2023.
Why this matters: Usable access depends on electricity supply and on price, not only on network build. Coverage figures capture neither.
Sources: ICASA
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Submarine cable
Core 2Africa system completed
The core 2Africa system was completed in November 2025. Meta describes the west segment as eight fibre pairs supporting up to 180 Tbps.
Why this matters: International capacity in 2025 is far greater than in 2006. The differences that remain in household access are not explained by a shortage of international capacity.
Sources: Meta Engineering
Sources
- ICASA The State of the ICT Sector Report 31 March 2024 Publication: · Accessed
- ICASA ICASA concludes successful spectrum auction and collects more than R14.4 billion proceeds Publication: · Accessed
- ITWeb Google's Equiano cable lands on SA shores Publication: · Accessed
- Meta Engineering Announcing the Completion of the Core 2Africa System Publication: · Accessed
- Statistics South Africa General Household Survey 2024 Publication: · Accessed
- Vodacom Group Vodacom launches Africa's first live 5G network which supports both mobile and fixed wireless services Publication: · Accessed
- World Bank World Development Indicators: Individuals using the Internet (% of population), IT.NET.USER.ZS Publication: · Accessed