The investment environment is shifting toward strategic, future-oriented-assets such as data centres, which increases competition among countries and regions. Digital transformation is a practical innovation improving the quality of life for our people. In the past few years, the Eastern Cape has laid important foundations for growth in this sector, anchored around SEZ-based digital infrastructure and enterprise development.
At the Coega SEZ, two Tier data centres are operational, providing a platform for data hosting, cloud services and digital infrastructure investment. Digital hubs and data lake initiatives are being leveraged to improve operational efficiencies and attract new off-takers. Premier Oscar Mabuyane said that at the ELIDZ, the data centre was emerging as an anchor investment, with strong market interest ahead of full operations.
I have no doubt these projects will create jobs for young people, such as Leesto Mankayi Faku, who told me in a social media post that he is an ICT graduate looking for a job,” Mabuyane said.
A new orbit satellite facility has been completed and is being brought into operation at ELIDZ, while an 800-seater Business Process Outsourcing project has been approved by DTIC, offering significant employment potential. The province is fast becoming one of SA s most exciting locations for call centres that serve customers around the world.
In just one year, the province achieved its best performance ever, with 900 new jobs in a single quarter and 1,271 jobs between January and September 2025. We have tasked the ECDC to attract even more companies to create jobs for the youth. Our partners in the telecommunications industry are doing amazing things in the Eastern Cape enabling communication in our communities,” he said.
Over the past five years, Telkom has invested R900m in the Eastern Cape and is planning to invest a further R160m in 2026 to strengthen digital infrastructure in the province. This will expand the reach of network coverage to just over 27,000 homes, businesses, enterprises and public sector sites.
In 2025, MTN upgraded more than 250 network sites, and this year plans to invest more to further enhance network resilience, through extending both 4G and 5G coverage. In 2025, Vodacom invested more than R400m in network infrastructure to roll out 4G and 5G networks to underserved rural areas of the Eastern Cape.
Mabuyane said these investments made by government and telecommunication companies were not just about infrastructure or numbers, but about dignity, inclusion, security, job creation and unlocking the full potential of our province and people.
