The collapse of the Eastern Cape’s broadband roll-out under the Office of the Premier has now moved beyond missed deadlines and failed connections to a worrying refusal by Premier Oscar Mabuyane to provide critical documents that explain how a multibillion-rand project derailed.
In reply to a written question, the Premier referred to detailed contracts, service agreements and Auditor General reports, but none of the annexures have been supplied to the Legislature, despite repeated follow-up requests.
This failure has real consequences for people across the province. The programme has already missed 70% of its connectivity targets, leaving schools without reliable eLearning support, clinics without stable digital systems and communities without access to basic online services that are now essential for study, work and economic participation.
Reliable broadband is one of the strongest economic multipliers. Every 10% increase in broadband penetration is associated with a 1% to 1.5% increase in GDP growth.
Withholding information amid this disruption deepens public concern about governance, transparency and accountability.
The Democratic Alliance is taking steps to ensure that the full truth emerges. This includes securing all documentation linked to the project, which the Premier referenced in his parliamentary response but did not provide. I will be lodging a formal application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to obtain all missing documents related to the broadband project.
These annexures include contracts, service agreements, bid information, and Auditor General reports that must be readily available to elected representatives exercising oversight.
In his response, Premier Mabuyane confirms that only 1975 of the promised 2700 fibre sites have been connected. He also confirmed that many connected sites were not functional or had zero usage during the last financial year.
The claim that delays stem solely from budget constraints does not explain why operational agreements were missing or why underperforming contract components were not addressed sooner.
A ten-year contract valued at R6.3 billion cannot be allowed to drift without accountability.
Download IQP response here
The DA will also pursue further action through the Legislature to compel full disclosure, including engagement with the relevant oversight structures responsible for broadband governance.
These steps are necessary to ensure that the remaining connections can be completed and that funds already spent can be accounted for.
For the people of the Eastern Cape, every day without reliable broadband means lost learning opportunities for children, slower emergency response in clinics and fewer economic prospects for small businesses.
Accountability is not optional when ordinary families carry the cost. The people of the Eastern Cape deserve leadership that delivers.