Internet access: A basic need, not a luxury

TODAY, access to the internet is as essential as electricity or running water.

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It's how people find work, run a business, study, manage their money and stay connected to those they care about. Yet for too many South Africans, especially those living in rural or underserved communities, affordable, reliable internet remains out of reach.

Terms like the digital divide are typically used to describe this phenomenon. But with such slogans, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that this profound lack of access holds back individuals, small businesses, and our country’s economic potential.

The internet is infrastructure

If we're serious about growing South Africa’s economy and supporting entrepreneurs at every level, we need to start seeing the internet for what it truly is: vital infrastructure. Just as roads connect goods and people, the internet connects ideas, opportunities, skills and services. It allows an informal trader in Khayelitsha to order stock online, a student in Giyani to access online classes and a small business in Lusikisiki to apply for funding or accept digital payments.