![Network outages and slow connections continue to challenge South Africa’s businesses and daily operations. PHOTO:[partesdel]](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201240%20930'%3E%3C/svg%3E "How Internet and Network Disruptions Might Cripple SA 1")
Network outages and slow connections continue to challenge South Africa’s businesses and daily operations. PHOTO:[partesdel]
(The Post News)- South African organisations bear the brunt of persistent internet and network disruptions, as frequent outages, slow connections, and unstable networks decrease revenues and productivity across sectors.
South Africa has significantly developed its digital infrastructure, and many businesses, institutions, and individuals now depend on digital connectivity for daily operations. There are many businesses that operate online, and with the dangerous cold front, a lot of companies and educational institutions have opted for Zoom meetings and emails to maintain operations, but slow internet connectivity remains an issue.
On average, South Africa still struggles with broadband quality. According to The State of the ICT Sector Report of South Africa (ICASA, 2025), the country is ranked 61st globally for mobile broadband speed. This essentially means that the nation’s normal broadband quality is considered slow by international standards.
When you add the added strain of network outages and even slower-than-normal connections, the situation becomes more precarious. Online-based businesses and services have been particularly hard hit, as they rely heavily on stable internet connectivity. When networks fail, work and transactions are delayed, leading to drops in customer satisfaction, reduced revenue, and decreased employee motivation, which ultimately disrupts operational workflows. This ripple effect especially impacts many highly vulnerable small enterprises, which often lack the resources to invest in costly backup systems.
Why the disruption?
Reasons for internet and network disruptions in South Africa are varied and complex. According to cybersecurity experts at Kaspersky, proper installation and regular maintenance of network hardware are critical to preventing outages. Disruptions can stem from software glitches, bugs, human error, malware attacks, and equipment failure. When these factors are not adequately managed, minor issues can escalate into major outages -such as the widely reported WACS outage.
Kaspersky advises South African organisations to adopt proactive measures—including regular system audits, robust cybersecurity practices, and contingency planning—to minimise the risk and impact of network outages.
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