MTN South Africa, the telecoms giant, is investing R150 million ($9.1 million) in 2026 to expand and modernise its network in the North West province this year, doubling down on the belief that the next phase of the country’s telecoms battle will be won far beyond Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
Yolanda Cuba, MTN South Africa’s deputy chief executive officer (CEO), said the investment will upgrade more than 1,000 network sites, expand 4G and 5G coverage, and deploy new towers in towns including Mahikeng, Klerksdorp and Taung.
The announcement comes as South Africa’s largest mobile operators increasingly shift capital expenditure towards secondary cities and rural provinces where demand for high-speed mobile broadband is growing, but network quality remains uneven.
The move underscores a broader shift in South Africa’s telecoms industry: the race to build the country’s best 5G network is no longer confined to affluent urban centres. As smartphone adoption rises, enterprises digitise operations and public services move online, operators are under pressure to improve coverage in underserved regions where millions of potential customers remain.
“The next phase of competition is less about who launches 5G first and more about who delivers reliable, high-capacity connectivity where it has historically been limited,” said Cuba. “Strong partnerships between the public and private sectors are essential in driving inclusive growth and ensuring that the benefits of the digital economy reach every community.”
