Digital economy in South Africa
Where the networks run, who is connected and how fast, who is building data centres, and where the tech markets are strongest.
People using the internet: South Africa against SADC
People using the internet, people, latest year for each country. Click a bar for that country's digital economy page.
South Africa's trade in digital economy goods since 2012
Exports and imports of the products in this pillar's subsectors, each product counted once, US$
Subsectors
11 in this pillarMobile networks in South Africa
- Tracks
- Operators, subscriptions and share, data traffic, base stations by technology, revenue and investment, spectrum.
- Signals ahead
- Spectrum auctions, licence conditions, tower deals.
Select a figure for its trend. Source: CEPII BACI, dotzedw deals tracker.
Trade in detail
South Africa exported US$309m and imported US$3.3bn of mobile networks in 2024; exports up 32% on five years earlier, 89.8% of what SADC sells abroad.
South Africa's main exports in this subsector, 2024
South Africa's trade in mobile networks every year since 2012, by partner is part of the Individual plan
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What South Africa sells abroad across digital economy
South Africa's exports by subsector, 2024, US$, with its share of SADC's exports. A product can count in two subsectors.
Who is moving
Open in the deals tracker13 deals in the last 12 months involving South Africa, placed in subsectors by what they say.
- 2026-10-14 · South Africa · M&A · Announced · Not yet placedR30 billion giant buys 90-year-old private school in South Africa
- 2026-10-13 · South Africa · M&A · Announced · Online commerce and digital servicesBYTES TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC - Acquisition of CyberOne
- 2026-10-13 · South Africa · Private equity · Announced · Online commerce and digital servicesKholo Capital provides R275m mezzanine debt funding to DCC
- 2026-10-13 · South Africa · M&A · Announced · Online commerce and digital servicesLekkeSlaap Acquired by South African Investors as Co-Founders Exit Travel Technology Business
- 2026-10-12 · South Africa · Venture capital · Announced · Start-ups and venture fundingInfinite Partners raises $169.3 million to back South African growth businesses
- 2026-10-09 · South Africa · Venture capital · Announced · Start-ups and venture fundingSA’s WalaPay Raises USD 4.6 M Seed Funding For Stablecoin Payments
- 2026-10-07 · South Africa · M&A · Reported talks · Not yet placedShutdown of 72-year-old factory in South Africa could blow up R6.5 billion merger
- 2026-10-05 · South Africa · Development finance · Announced · Fixed broadband and fibreProparco invests US$20 million in Frogfoot, Vox and Hypa to expand affordable fibre connectivity in South Africa
- 2026-10-02 · South Africa · M&A · Approved · TowersSouth African regulators clear MTN’s acquisition of IHS Towers stake
- 2026-09-22 · South Africa · M&A · Announced · Not yet placedTwo Exits in Six Years: Dan Kleinbaum’s GTXN Acquired by Luno