Open-access fibre network provider Maziv made a R9 billion investment pledge at the sixth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC).
This, as South Africa has entered a new phase of growth, with the country securing the highest, to date, investment commitments at the SAIC.
Closing the conference in Sandton yesterday, president Cyril Ramaphosa said the scale of pledges, both in value and number of projects, marked a significant milestone since the launch of the investment drive in 2018.
“The cumulative value of the pledges made at this conference are the highest we have achieved since the first South Africa Investment Conference. It is also the highest number of projects. Much of this is domestic capital, demonstrating the strong and growing confidence of South African investors in our own economy,” the president said.
The large share of the commitments from domestic investors was complemented by a sharp rise in foreign direct investment and participation from development finance institutions.
Ramaphosa said the breadth of investments across all nine provinces demonstrates that growth is no longer concentrated but increasingly distributed across the country’s economic landscape.
Major announcements included a R10.4 billion investment by Toyota in KwaZulu-Natal to support the automotive sector’s energy transition, while Sasol committed R60 billion to modernising operations in Mpumalanga and the Free State.
Other investments span mining, renewable energy, infrastructure and global business services, including projects expected to create thousands of jobs, such as Teleperformance’s R145 million investment set to generate 2 600 employment opportunities.
In a statement, Maziv, the parent company of fibre network operators Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa, says its significant capital commitment, spanning the next five years, will accelerate the country’s high-speed digital rollout. It includes a dedicated pledge to create 10 000 direct and indirect job opportunities over seven years.
The pledge follows the approval of Vodacom’s acquisition of a 30% stake in Maziv by the Competition Commission and ICASA.
When the deal was approved last year, Vodacom and Maziv committed to invest R12 billion in fibre rollout in South Africa.
“The investment is a powerful catalyst for digital inclusion. This is much more than infrastructure; it’s about changing lives. By bringing high-speed connectivity to every corner of the country, we are ensuring more people than ever before can participate in the digital economy,” says Maziv CEO Dietlof Maré.
Maziv says its rollout plan will prioritise low income and underserved areas, ensuring residents gain access to high-quality broadband.
As part of its social mandate, Maziv will also provide 1Gbps free, uncapped access to every public or private school, public clinic and public library passed by its network.
According to the company, the 10 000 jobs will include direct and indirect employment opportunities through an ecosystem of local SMME partners, installers and community-based service providers.
It notes this initiative aims to foster specialised technical skills and support small business growth across South Africa.
“Our commitment today is a vote of confidence in South Africa’s digital future,” says Maré. “By scaling our infrastructure through this R9 billion investment, we are building a foundation for economic participation. We are proud to create tangible value and ensure world-class connectivity is accessible for all South Africans.”
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