The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa released the tenth “State of the ICT Sector Report of South Africa 2025“. Which is an analysis of the country’s telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal services industries. The report sheds light on various factors shaping these sectors, including financial performance, key trends, and employment statistics. Let’s have look at some of the key findings.

Telecommunications Sector

The telecommunications industry in South Africa continues to demonstrate resilience and growth. In 2024, total telecommunications revenue reached an impressive R232.67 billion, marking a significant 11.7% increase from R208.29 billion in 2023. This revenue boost was primarily driven by a 10.21% increase in mobile services and a 16.16% rise in other revenue streams. Fixed internet and data revenue also saw a notable surge, climbing by 14.62% year-on-year.

Mobile Cellular Subscriptions

The number of active mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa reached 94 million in 2024, up from 90.5 million in 2023. This represents a growth of 3.9%. Over the last five years, the mobile cellular subscription base expanded by 5.32%, reflecting the strong and ongoing demand for mobile connectivity.

Data Subscriptions

In line with growing reliance on mobile data, the number of mobile cellular data subscriptions rose from 41.6 million in 2023 to 42.3 million in 2024—an increase of 1.52%. This uptick highlights the increasing importance of mobile data for communication and entertainment, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of the telecommunications sector.

Broadcasting Sector: Facing Challenges

While the telecommunications sector remains robust, the broadcasting industry faces some challenges, especially in terms of employment and expenditure.

Employment Trends

The number of people employed in the broadcasting sector fell by 4.34% in 2024. From 3,525 employees in 2023, this figure dropped to 3,371. The decline was evident across both male and female employment, with male workers decreasing from 1,707 to 1,635, and female workers decreasing from 1,818 to 1,736. These figures suggest that the sector is adjusting to shifting market demands and technological changes.

Expenditure on Productions

Program expenditure for broadcasting saw a slight dip in 2024, decreasing from R16.1 billion in 2023 to R16.0 billion. This 1.14% reduction indicates that broadcasters are tightening their budgets in response to market pressures.

Independent Productions: A Shift in Focus

The financial landscape for independent productions has seen a notable shift. Spending on local independent productions decreased from R802 million in 2023 to R796 million, while investment in international independent productions grew substantially from R546 million to R718 million. This change underscores the growing appetite for diverse, global content.

Postal Services: Navigating Decline

The postal sector in South Africa has been facing significant changes, particularly in terms of letter delivery volumes.

Decline in Letter Delivery

The volume of letter deliveries saw a sharp decline in 2024, dropping from 250.8 million items in 2023 to just 152.9 million. This decrease of nearly 39% is largely attributed to the rise of digital communication, as consumers increasingly turn to electronic alternatives over traditional postal services.

Employment in the Postal Sector

Despite the challenges, the postal sector continues to provide employment opportunities, particularly for younger workers. In 2024, a significant portion of postal workers were youth, with 947 male youth and 1,544 female youth under 35 years employed in various roles. This focus on youth employment highlights the sector’s role in providing job opportunities to the next generation of workers.

Internet Access and Connectivity: A Growing Focus

South Africa is witnessing growing internet access across households, a trend that continues to shape the country’s digital future.

Household Internet Access

According to the General Household Survey (GHS), the percentage of South African households with internet access increased from 75.3% in 2022 to 78.6% in 2023. The share of households with internet access at home also grew from 13% to 14.5%. This upward trend reflects the increasing importance of mobile internet access, which continues to outpace fixed-line connections.

Internet Speed Rankings

In 2025, South Africa’s fixed broadband speed improved significantly, ranking 102nd out of 154 countries globally with a download speed of 48.51 Mbps. While this represents progress, it also highlights the need for further improvements to ensure that the country remains competitive in an increasingly digital world.

As the digital transformation continues, stakeholders in South Africa’s ICT sector will need to adapt to the rapidly changing environment. This report provides essential insights into the ongoing challenges and opportunities in the sector, making it a valuable resource for policymakers, businesses, and other industry players as they navigate the evolving landscape.

However, the report did not address all the key issues that need to be addressed by ICASA, listen to this podcast from Power98.7’s POWER Talk host Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi interviewing ICASA’s Advocate Norman Gidi.