Telecom Giant MTN Pours R300 Million into Enhancement of Gauteng Network Infrastructure
MTN South Africa has announced a significant investment of R300 million to upgrade its network infrastructure in Gauteng by the end of 2025. This investment forms part of a larger R4.5 billion nationwide upgrade planned for completion by the same year.
The Gauteng-specific upgrade will focus on enhancing existing infrastructure, adding new base stations, and modernizing over 70 network sites. The main goals of this upgrade are to introduce 5G capabilities, significantly improve LTE performance, boost network coverage and capacity, and improve network resilience and reliability.
According to Machawe Dlamini, General Manager for Gauteng Operations at MTN SA, the investment will strengthen digital capabilities through improved battery systems, site security, and energy infrastructure. These improvements are part of broader efforts to harden the network against load shedding and service disruptions.
The upgrade aims to bridge the digital divide by enabling more people, businesses, and communities to access high-speed, reliable digital services. This will contribute to digital inclusion and economic growth in the province, which accounts for about 34% of the country’s GDP.
The improvements will facilitate improved access to online education, healthcare, and digital business tools across Gauteng. By extending high-speed connectivity to underserved parts of the province, including densely populated townships and outlying peri-urban areas, MTN hopes to support the province in becoming more digitally inclusive.
MTN has also committed an additional R480 million for a similar network infrastructure upgrade in KwaZulu-Natal. The KwaZulu-Natal investment will follow a similar plan, focusing on upgrading existing infrastructure, adding new base stations, and enhancing network sites. The goal of this upgrade is to boost coverage and expand capacity for digital services across urban and rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal.
Dlamini emphasized that investing in network infrastructure is vital to bridging the digital divide and promoting broader digital inclusion throughout South Africa. The completion date for both upgrades is set for the end of 2025.
MTN South Africa has been recognized as the country's best mobile network for Q1 2025, according to the MyBroadband Insights Network Quality Q2 2025 report. This latest investment is expected to further solidify MTN's position as South Africa's leading mobile network.
- To support digital inclusion and economic growth in Gauteng, MTN has allocated R300 million for data-and-cloud-computing advancements, including strengthening battery systems, site security, and energy infrastructure.
- As part of a broader investment in technology, finance, and digital inclusion, MTN's upgrade projects in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal aim to extend high-speed connectivity, enabling more people in diverse industries to achieve smooth access to online education, healthcare, and digital business tools.
