IHS South Africa Brings Free Internet and Digital Skills to KwaMashu Community
This initiative provides unlimited, free internet access to local residents, students, job seekers, and entrepreneurs.
IHS South Africa, part of the IHS Holding Limited group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count has launched a public Wi-Fi initiative in KwaMashu, Durban in collaboration with Project Isizwe. This initiative provides unlimited, free internet access to local residents, students, job seekers, and entrepreneurs.
In a country where over 15 million people (roughly 21% of the population) still lack internet access, youth unemployment stands at 60%, and small businesses often have limited access to affordable digital tools, connectivity is crucial and has the power to promote education, create job opportunities, and support community development.
Preceding the launch event, held at the KwaMashu G Community Hall, 10 unemployed youth from KwaMashu received digital and ICT-related training facilitated by IHS South Africa’s partner, Social Coding. Through a five-day training program, they were introduced to various skills relating to virtual reality technologies, mobile applications, exhibition management techniques, effective communication, customer service, and technical troubleshooting. These new skills and technologies were presented during the launch ceremony to local community members through 10 interactive stands.
Following the launch, digital engagement will shift to local primary schools, featuring a specialized robotics showcase for younger audiences.
“Connectivity is more than a luxury; it is a lifeline. This initiative is not just about providing internet; it’s about empowering a community with essential resources for education, economic growth, and comprehensive digital inclusion. We believe this collaboration provides a powerful example of how public-private partnerships can ignite digital opportunities and help transform township economies and communities across South Africa. Beyond facilitating connectivity, we also need to provide young people with new opportunities to acquire digital skills so that they can serve as technology ambassadors for their communities. We are proud to work with partners such as Project Isizwe and Social Coding to help bring these opportunities, alongside community connectivity, to the next generation.”
–Sandile Msimango, CEO, IHS South Africa.
