MTN of empty promises? Less than half of target schools and clinics are actually online

Of the five operators, only Vodacom, Telkom and Liquid achieved the minimum connectivity threshold of 65% of their individual targets Parliament has sounded the alarm over a major failure to meet South Africa’s digital connectivity targets, revealing that mobile network operators have connected less than half of the schools, clinics, libraries, and other public institutions they were required to bring online under spectrum licence obligations awarded in 2022. Lawmakers on Wednesday warned that operators failing to meet their commitments must face consequences, as thousands of public facilities remain cut off from internet access despite promises made when valuable spectrum licences were issued. Concerns The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies raised serious concerns over the sluggish pace of internet connectivity at public service institutions (PSIs), with only 10 851 of the 21 878 targeted facilities connected as of March 2026. The concern emerged during a briefing by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) on the implementation of Universal Access and Service Obligations (UASOs) attached to high-demand spectrum licences awarded in 2022. Auction The spectrum auction saw five successful bidders: Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Liquid, and Rain. As part of their licence conditions, the operators were required to connect public service institutions, including schools, healthcare facilities, libraries, and traditional authorities, to internet services. Icasa’s presentation revealed that overall compliance stands at just 49.1%, meaning more than half of the institutions earmarked for connectivity remain offline. Of the five operators, only Vodacom, Telkom and Liquid achieved the minimum connectivity threshold of 65% of their individual targets by March 2026. MTN and Rain failed to meet the benchmark. The Citizen has reached out to MTN and Rain for comment. Any response will be included once received. Obligations The operators were assigned the following connectivity obligations: Vodacom: 8 131 institutions MTN: 7 390 institutions Telkom: 3 103 institutions Rain: 2 956 institutions Liquid: 298 institutions Slow rollout Committee members warned that the slow rollout threatens efforts to improve access to education, healthcare, and government services, particularly in underserved communities where internet connectivity has become essential for development and economic participation. Committee chairperson Khusela Sangoni-Diko said operators that fail to honour their licence commitments should face regulatory action. “Companies that renege on their licence compliance obligations should be referred to the Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) for consequence management,” Sangoni-Diko said. Monitor She added that Icasa should closely monitor implementation milestones instead of waiting years before taking action. “Icasa should track implementation milestones and not wait five years before seeking intervention from the CCC to investigate what may amount to malicious compliance,” she said. The committee stressed that reliable internet access at schools, clinics, libraries and other public institutions is no longer a luxury but a critical component of modern service delivery, education and access to information. Online content Lawmakers also received an update on operators’ obligations to zero-rate online content for approved Public Benefit Organisations (PBOs) and websites using the .gov.za domain. Zero-rating allows users to access approved websites and services without incurring mobile data charges, helping to remove affordability barriers that prevent many South Africans from accessing essential information and services. Icasa said the zero-rating requirement is scheduled to take effect in January 2027. To date, the regulator has received 69 applications for zero-rated status and approved 51. The committee said it would continue monitoring compliance to ensure operators meet their obligations and deliver on the connectivity commitments made when the spectrum licences were awarded.