South Africa has the highest internet penetration rate on the continent, but the digital divide still persists.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed digital transformation at the heart of South Africa's economic “rebound”, saying technology is no longer a luxury area but the foundation of the country's overall industrial strategy.
Ramaphosa made the remarks to a packed hall of global CEOs and financiers at the Sandton Convention Center during the sixth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
digital divide
South Africa has the highest internet penetration rate On the continent, but a digital divide persists, leaving many young people without access to the internet.
Ramaphosa based his comments around the “3Ds” (digitalization, decarbonization and diversification), highlighting South Africa as a future-focused economy with significant opportunities in technology.
smartphone penetration
The President highlighted South Africa's high smartphone penetration and near-universal internet access not only as social milestones, but also as a “world-class digital infrastructure” ready for commercial exploitation.
“We are positioning South Africa as the leading hub for digital and financial services on the continent,” Ramaphosa said.
“By modernizing our regulatory framework through the Omnibus Fast-Tracking Act, we are digitalizing the process of doing business from permits to licensing to ensure speed and transparency.”
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digital transformation
Ramaphosa said digital transformation holds significant potential for economic growth and investment.
“South Africa already has world-class digital infrastructure, near-universal internet access and smartphone access, and a regulatory environment that enables innovation. We are implementing reforms that will create a digitally enabled economy and position South Africa as a leading hub for digital and financial services.
“In these ways, we are preparing South Africa to be a major player in the economy of the future, combining the lowest-cost solar and wind energy in the world with advanced digital infrastructure and a skilled workforce that can compete globally,” Ramaphosa said.
Aye
Ramaphosa said Pretoria is positioning South Africa as the continent's leading hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing.
“The significant commitments we have seen today, which are part of our new R2 trillion target, show that the world sees our potential. With the support of partners like the EU and the UAE, we are building the digital infrastructure needed to drive a just transition that will leave no South African behind in the digital age.”
bilateral talks
The conference saw significant activity in the tech sector, highlighted by high-level bilateral talks between Ramaphosa and Google. The discussions focused on increasing investments in cloud infrastructure, data centers and AI.
These partnerships aim to provide South African SMEs with the digital tools they need to compete in the global marketplace.
In a move to link the country's energy crisis to its digital future, Ramaphosa argued that South Africa's transition to low-cost solar and wind power would create a unique “energy-digital nexus”.
The combination aims to attract energy-intensive data centers and technology manufacturing plants looking for sustainable, cost-effective hubs.
investment
2026 SAIC concluded with a massive investment of R889.8 billion in total investment pledges across 81 projects.
With a significant portion of these funds directed towards innovation, Ramaphosa's message was clear: South Africa is staking its future on becoming Africa's leading digital economy.
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