Parliament, Wednesday, 14 October 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies has expressed concern that mobile network operators have connected only 10 851 of the 21 878 public service institutions (PSIs) targeted for internet connectivity under their Universal Access and Service Obligations (UASOs), representing 49.1% compliance as at March 2026.
The committee raised the concern during today’s meeting following a briefing by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) on the implementation of connectivity obligations attached to spectrum licences awarded in 2022.
The spectrum auction resulted in five successful bidders: Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Liquid and Rain. As part of their licence obligations, the operators were allocated targets to connect public service institutions, including healthcare facilities, schools, libraries and tribal authorities, to the internet.
According to ICASA, only three operators, namely Vodacom, Telkom and Liquid, had reached the minimum connectivity threshold of 65% of their respective targets by March 2026. MTN and Rain had failed to meet this threshold.
The overall connectivity targets allocated to the operators are 8 131 for Vodacom, 7 390 for MTN, 3 103 for Telkom, 2 956 for Rain and 298 for Liquid.
The committee expressed concern about the slow pace of progress in connecting public service institutions, particularly given the importance of internet access in improving access to public services, education and information. Connectivity at schools, healthcare facilities and other institutions is essential to ensuring that communities can benefit from digital services and opportunities.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Khusela Sangoni-Diko, said operators must be held accountable for failing to meet their licence obligations.
“Companies that renege on their licence compliance obligations should be referred to the Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) for consequence management. ICASA should track implementation milestones and not wait five years before seeking intervention from the CCC to investigate what may amount to malicious compliance,” said Ms Sangoni-Diko.
The committee also received information on operators’ obligations to zero-rate mobile content for approved Public Benefit Organisations (PBOs) and websites using the .gov.za domain.
Zero-rating allows users to access approved online content without incurring mobile data charges, thereby helping to reduce the cost barriers that prevent some people from accessing essential information and services.
ICASA indicated that the zero-rating obligation will come into effect in January 2027. To date, the authority has received 69 applications for zero-rating and approved 51.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, MS KHUSELA SANGONI DIKO.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Justice Molafo
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Email: jmolafo@parliament.gov.za
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