Telecommunications group MTN South Africa is investing R480-million to enhance network coverage and empower youth with critical digital skills in KwaZulu-Natal.

As part of its investment, MTN will expand and modernise its network infrastructure across KwaZulu-Natal, including extending and adding more capacity and speed to MTN’s 4G coverage, which currently sits at 97% in the province.

Rural communities and townships will be the primary beneficiaries of the 4G expansion, while metropolitans and larger towns will gain broader access to MTN’s high-speed 5G network.

The project encompasses the construction of 25 new sites, the modernisation of 90 existing sites, capacity upgrades to 120 sites and transmission upgrades to more than 80 sites.

“The improvements are already being felt. Residents in villages like Mpendle have seen a significant boost in connectivity thanks to recent 4G rollouts, while villages such as Nongidi, Mpofana, Weenen, Bovini, Nkapha, Nkambele, Kwantabomvu and Lokwe are in the pipeline to benefit this year,” said MTN South Africa GM for KwaZulu-Natal Busi Dlamini.

Bigger towns, such as Pietermaritzburg, are experiencing enhanced 5G coverage that supports faster, more reliable digital access for both consumers and businesses.

“KwaZulu-Natal is a key growth province for MTN, and this investment is a demonstration of our unwavering commitment to bridging the digital divide. We are ensuring that no one is left behind in South Africa’s digital revolution.”

The announcement comes as MTN formally inducted the 2025 KZN leg of its Digital Skills for Digital Jobs (DS4DJ) programme, a strategic initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment through demand-driven Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority-accredited digital training.

The national programme will benefit 700 young people across all nine provinces, with 80 participants formally inducted into the national digital skills development programme in June.

The initiative is a collaborative effort between MTN, the EBL Institute of Business and Technology, Moses Kotane Research Institute, Durban University of Technology InnoBiz and the Office of the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.

The DS4DJ programme, focusing on high-demand skills such as data analytics, cybersecurity and systems development, equips participants with both technical and professional skills aligned with the current job market.

“South Africa’s youth are full of potential, but they need access to the right opportunities. This programme is designed to not only train but also assist learners identify and connect with employment opportunities. It is a direct response to the unemployment crisis, and it shows what’s possible when government, business and academia work together,” continued Dlamini.

Beyond technical training, the programme aims to develop well-rounded professionals who are job-ready and capable of driving innovation in a rapidly digitising world.

“By providing youth with the tools they need to succeed in the fourth industrial revolution, MTN is not only contributing to individual empowerment but also to broader national goals around economic inclusion and digital transformation.”

The combined focus on infrastructure development and human capital investment underscores MTN’s holistic approach to provincial development.

“Whether it is through world-class connectivity or digital skills development, our goal is the same – to unlock opportunities and enable progress for South Africans everywhere,” concluded Dlamini.