Telecommunications infrastructure theft and energy outages proceed to carry again connectivity in South Africa, with the associated fee burden on cell and fibre operators greater than doubling in a yr.
Based on communications regulator Icasa’s newest State of the ICT Sector report, printed final week, the speed of telecoms tools theft grew considerably between 2024 and 2025.
“The most important shift between 2024 and 2025 highlights altering safety challenges within the sector. Theft elevated from R69.6-million to R201.5-million, a 189% rise, making it the dominant price driver in 2025. This surge could mirror elevated cable theft, tools resale markets, or weaknesses in infrastructure safety,” Icasa stated within the report.
In compiling the report, Icasa drew on information from Statistics South Africa’s Normal Family Survey 2024, the Worldwide Telecommunication Union’s 2024 and 2025 stories, an Ookla report, and the regulator’s personal questionnaire, which gathered information from licensees as much as September 2025.
Operators additionally spent extra on backup energy tools reminiscent of batteries and mills – and on the diesel wanted to run them. Sector-wide battery prices rose from R173.8-million in 2024 to R387.7-million in 2025, a rise of about R214-million. The variety of batteries bought jumped from 44 708 to 84 829. Generator spending climbed from R211.5-million to R426.8-million, up by roughly R215-million, with the variety of mills purchased greater than doubling from 855 in 2024 to 1 969 in 2025.
Spending redirected
In an interview with TechCentral on Tuesday, Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of telecoms foyer group the Affiliation of Comms & Know-how (ACT), stated the mixture of energy outages and infrastructure theft was forcing cell operators to redirect spending earmarked for community growth into the restore of current infrastructure.
Though Eskom has formally ended load shedding, energy outages stay widespread throughout municipalities, Batyi stated. Areas topic to load discount – usually high-density, lower-income communities – are pegged to endure outages till not less than 2027, based on Eskom. However energy cuts persist outdoors these areas, too.
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“Telecommunications networks require fixed energy to function and our members report burning extra diesel now as a result of energy outages and vandalism, as a result of wherever there are energy outages vandalism additionally will increase,” Batyi stated.
She stated shoppers anticipate uninterrupted cell service regardless of energy provide disruptions. Icasa additionally imposes quality-of-service obligations on its licensees, together with minimal 90% uptime on voice name providers. ACT has been lobbying Icasa to loosen up these obligations in particular eventualities, reminiscent of when energy is unavailable or the place infrastructure has been vandalised. “In actuality, nobody goes to fulfill these obligations due to the scenario on the bottom,” she stated.
Forward of the 2024 state of the nation deal with, cell operators, by means of ACT, lobbied nationwide treasury for diesel rebates to be prolonged to the telecoms sector. The request was ignored, however Batyi stated telecoms infrastructure stays essential to the functioning of society and that operators should be supported in efforts to maintain connectivity out there.
TechCentral on Sunday reported that South Africa’s 5G increase is bypassing rural areas – one other discovering from Icasa’s report. Batyi stated one purpose was that “5G upgrades observe gadgets”. Most customers in rural areas nonetheless depend on 2G and 3G connectivity, so the enterprise case for 5G doesn’t but exist there. The second blocker, she stated, is that energy outages, theft and vandalism are forcing operators to redirect funds earmarked for community growth in the direction of community resilience.
“Operators are spending cash on repairs and they’re nonetheless anticipated to construct infrastructure in city areas. These areas are affected by the identical problems with energy outages, vandalism and theft. Now that Icasa has this data, what’s it going to do about it? Will it go to different authorities businesses such because the communications division or the South African Police Service?” she stated.
A multidisciplinary job workforce arrange in 2022 to coordinate efforts to battle vandalism and theft throughout numerous sectors – with members together with nationwide treasury, the division of justice and the SAPS – has not met for not less than six months, based on Batyi.
Financial risk
She warned that threats to telecoms infrastructure have been threats to the broader economic system and to public security, citing the instance of a dropped name to an ambulance or the police.
“Our members have made efforts to work carefully with legislation enforcement and group policing boards, however stronger coordination between trade, authorities and legislation enforcement is required. We additionally want larger recognition of infrastructure crime as an financial risk with the financial crimes court docket,” Batyi stated. — (c) 2026 NewsCentral Media
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