Malatsi warns against digital inequality in South Africa’s townships

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi. Picture: The Citizen. Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi says South Africa’s digital future will be defined by inclusion, not geography.

Malatsi delivered the keynote address at the Huawei South Africa Connect 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday, 23 July 2026. The minister said the role of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is to enable environments to help innovators by growing their businesses to compete on a global scale. “South Africa’s greatest strength lies not in its metropoles, but in the townships,” he declared, highlighting innovation hubs, rural classrooms, and startups tackling African challenges in agriculture, healthcare, education and financial inclusion.

Malatsi warned against a future where opportunity is determined by income or location. “Technology must be a bridge to opportunity, not a source of inequality,” he stressed, calling digital inclusion an economic and developmental imperative. Outlining government’s four strategic priorities, Malatsi placed strong emphasis on affordable connectivity and smart device access.

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“Our ambition is not merely to connect people to the internet, but to connect them to opportunity,” he said. He argued that broadband networks mean little if millions cannot afford the devices needed to participate. “Success cannot be measured by connections alone, but by what people achieve once connected,” Malatsi added.

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