KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has launched a fibre pre-provisioning pilot project in Empangeni aimed at integrating digital connectivity infrastructure into new housing developments from the outset.
The Fibre Pre-Provisioning Proof of Concept (POC), launched in Richards Bay on Thursday, is a partnership between the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government, Huawei and Openserve.
The project is being implemented at the Empangeni Phase 1A Housing Development, where 405 households are under construction and are being equipped with infrastructure to enable future high-speed fibre connectivity.
The initiative uses a “Pipe and Box” method to incorporate fibre infrastructure during construction, alongside essential services such as water, electricity and roads. This approach is intended to reduce the cost of installing connectivity later and could provide a model for similar housing developments across South Africa.
Ntuli described the project as a step towards building digital connectivity into new human settlements rather than introducing it after communities have been established.
“We are constructing pathways to opportunity, to connectivity, and to inclusion. We are laying the groundwork for a future in which no community is left behind,” Ntuli said.
He said reliable digital infrastructure is increasingly important for residents to access education, employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, information and government services.
The Premier said the initiative forms part of the province’s broader efforts to bridge the digital divide and ensure that residents, particularly those in historically underserved communities, can participate in the digital economy.
He welcomed the partnership with Huawei and Openserve, stressing the importance of collaboration between government and the private sector to accelerate infrastructure development and translate technological progress into tangible benefits for communities.
The initiative builds on other connectivity interventions undertaken through the provincial government’s GovConnect programme, including public Wi-Fi installations in uMlazi Township and uMsinga.
uMhlathuze Local Municipality Mayor Xolani Ngwezi said the project is an important milestone in the city’s efforts to become more connected and inclusive.
“A connected city is a competitive city. A connected resident is an empowered resident,” Ngwezi said.
KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements Chief Director Lindani Khoza said the project represents a shift in how infrastructure is planned and delivered.
“Just as roads connect people physically, fibre infrastructure connects communities digitally. Instead of treating connectivity as an afterthought, we are integrating it into the earlier stages of planning and development,” Khoza said.
Chief Director for Digital Government at the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies Rendani Musetha said the project aligns with the need to plan for broadband connectivity alongside housing development.
“Why should we build houses today and only think about connectivity tomorrow? A fibre cable has little meaning on its own. Its value comes from what it enables,” Musetha said.
Openserve Executive for Enterprise and Public Sector Pearl Schrimpton said the company is helping plan the network infrastructure needed for future connectivity.
“When government builds a home, a connection to the digital economy should be built in, just like water, just like electricity, just like the road,” she said.
Schrimpton said the partners will assess the project and share their findings to inform future decisions on fibre pre-provisioning.
“Our commitment to this project is simple: we build it properly, we measure it openly, and we will share what we learned with our partners in government, so that the country can decide on facts rather than assumptions,” Schrimpton said.
Huawei South Africa representative Charles Cheng said the partnership demonstrated how public-private collaboration could advance digital inclusion. He said fibre pre-provisioning should be considered for integration into municipal building codes and the national housing strategy.
Huawei Solution Manager Li Yanbang said installing fibre infrastructure during or before road construction can reduce costs and prevent roads from being damaged by later excavation.
“We want to find a way that we can get more affordable connectivity to every South African household,” Yanbang said.
Ntuli said the provincial government remains committed to expanding digital access through partnerships and infrastructure projects that can be replicated in other communities, with the aim of ensuring that geography or socio-economic circumstances did not prevent residents from benefiting from technological advancement. – SAnews.gov.za
