MTN South Africa has announced a R480 million investment in network upgrades and expansion across the Free State and Northern Cape during 2026, targeting both urban centres and underserved rural communities. The rollout, which forms part of MTN’s broader R21.8 billion national infrastructure programme, will focus on improving 4G reliability while extending 5G coverage to 82% in the Free State and 75% in the Northern Cape. The project will be delivered through Ericsson, MTN’s network partner, with local service provider Chemnetic contracted for deployment.
Key Overview
- Total Investment: R480 million (approximately $28.9 million) across two provinces
- Free State Allocation: R300 million for upgrades in Welkom, Bethlehem, Phuthaditjhaba, and QwaQwa
- Northern Cape Allocation: Over R180 million for Kimberley, Upington, Kuruman, and De Aar
- 5G Coverage Targets: 82% availability in the Free State and 75% in the Northern Cape by end of 2026
- National Programme: Part of MTN SA’s R21.8 billion three-year investment pledge announced at the South Africa Investment Conference
- Delivery Partner: Chemnetic, a local infrastructure service provider contracted under Ericsson
MTN South Africa has committed more than R480 million to network upgrades and expansion across the Free State and Northern Cape during 2026, with the investment targeting improvements in connectivity for both urban centres and rural communities across two of the country’s most geographically dispersed provinces.
The allocation is split between R300 million for the Free State and more than R180 million for the Northern Cape. MTN said the rollout will prioritise towns including Welkom, Bethlehem, Phuthaditjhaba, and QwaQwa in the Free State, alongside Kimberley, Upington, Kuruman, and De Aar in the Northern Cape. The upgrades will focus on improving 4G reliability while extending 5G coverage, with the company targeting 82% 5G availability in the Free State and 75% in the Northern Cape by the end of 2026.
Isabel Belle, General Manager of Central Region Operations at MTN South Africa, said the investment is about enabling greater inclusion. “By extending our 5G footprint and strengthening network infrastructure in these provinces, especially in rural and farming communities, we are enabling greater inclusion and opening access to opportunities that can improve lives and livelihoods,” she said.
Part of a R21.8 Billion National Programme
The provincial investment forms part of MTN South Africa’s R21.8 billion three-year infrastructure programme, announced by CEO Ferdi Moolman at the South Africa Investment Conference in Sandton, Johannesburg, in March 2026. The national programme builds on R6.8 billion in capital expenditure deployed across MTN’s South African footprint during 2025 and represents one of the largest telecoms infrastructure commitments at the conference, ranking as the third-biggest pledge among all corporate investment announcements.
Moolman told delegates that broadband connectivity is essential to accelerating economic participation and that the investment in network infrastructure and IT systems would have strong spillover effects, supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and growth across communities and industries.
MTN Group Chief Executive Ralph Mupita has separately described South Africa as the group’s most important market. In April, the company reported that its 5G network now covers 40% of the South African population, with commercial services live across Gauteng, Cape Town, and Durban. The expansion of 5G into secondary and tertiary cities, including Bloemfontein and Kimberley, is planned to begin before the end of 2026. MTN has pledged to spend R8.3 billion on South African network infrastructure over the next two years.
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Addressing South Africa’s Rural Digital Divide
A significant portion of the Free State and Northern Cape rollout will focus on rural towns and farming communities where access to reliable network coverage remains inconsistent. The investment lands in a context where South Africa’s digital divide between urban and rural areas remains stark, particularly in these two provinces.
According to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s 2026 State of the ICT Sector report, national 5G population coverage reached 58% in 2025, up from 46.6% the previous year. However, the Free State and Northern Cape trailed significantly behind the national average, with urban 5G coverage rates of just 38% and 41% respectively. Rural 5G coverage was even lower, with the Northern Cape recording just 13% rural 5G population coverage, one of the lowest rates in the country. The Northern Cape and Eastern Cape also had the lowest 4G rural coverage nationally, at 89% and 93% respectively.
Connectivity challenges in these areas directly affect access to online education, digital services, healthcare platforms, and business operations. MTN said expanding network infrastructure in these communities remains a key priority as demand for digital services continues to grow beyond major urban centres.
Local Economic Impact and Delivery Model
The R480 million project will be delivered by Chemnetic, a local network infrastructure service provider contracted under Ericsson, MTN South Africa’s network partner. Stefan Boshoff of Chemnetic said investments like these are not only improving connectivity for consumers but also creating meaningful opportunities for small businesses involved in deployment.
MTN has emphasised that local service providers participating in network build projects may see increased work opportunities linked to expansion activities across both provinces. The company is a Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment contributor and reported spending over R9.8 billion with Black-owned suppliers and R18.9 billion with Black women-owned suppliers in 2024. Through the MTN SA Foundation, more than R1.1 billion has been invested in community initiatives since 2009, including over 400 multimedia centres reaching 220,000 learners and digital skills training for more than 16,000 educators.
MTN’s Broader Continental Ambitions
The Free State and Northern Cape investment sits within a wider pattern of aggressive network expansion by Africa’s largest mobile network operator. MTN Group operates across 16 African countries and serves 307.2 million customers, with its fintech division supporting 69.5 million active mobile money users across the continent.
In March 2026, MTN announced plans to connect between 20 and 30 million homes across Africa over the next five years, driven by rising internet demand. The company has also invested in emerging network technologies, joining a $45 million funding round for ORAN Development Company, a US-based startup building AI-native radio access networks.
The competitive dynamics in South Africa’s telecoms market are intensifying. Industry analysts have noted that Rain’s low-cost data-only 5G proposition has disrupted incumbent operators’ premium pricing strategies, while Vodacom continues to invest heavily in network upgrades and rural base stations. MTN is also exploring fixed wireless access 5G services as an alternative to fibre broadband in areas where cable infrastructure deployment is not economically viable, a model that could prove particularly relevant in the vast, sparsely populated Northern Cape, South Africa’s largest province by land area.
For the Free State and Northern Cape, the R480 million commitment represents more than a network upgrade. It is a signal that the commercial case for investing in rural and secondary-city connectivity is strengthening, even as South Africa’s digital divide continues to challenge operators and policymakers alike.
Sources: Bizcommunity / TimesLIVE / Zawya / Connecting Africa / Ecofin Agency / EBNewsDaily / CAJ News Africa / IOL Business Report / TechCabal / ICASA
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