The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has published notice of a new market inquiry into the affordability of telecommunications services, TechCentral reported on 4 September 2026. The inquiry will examine structural cost drivers, the impact on household budgets, and possible regulatory or market interventions.
Icasa says affordability concerns persist for low-income households, rural communities, young people, and informal sector workers despite progress in network coverage and mobile broadband penetration. The regulator’s 2026 State of the ICT Sector Report shows mobile broadband affordability improved from roughly 2.3% of monthly GNI per capita in 2021 to 1.63% in 2024, or about R215 falling to R152 per month.
The same report reveals a sharp divide: entry-level fixed broadband remained unaffordable, with a 5GB basket costing roughly R330 in 2024, equating to 3.32% of GNI. For households across the Cape Flats, where many residents rely on prepaid data for job applications, education, and small business operations, the gap between improving mobile costs and stubbornly expensive fixed broadband remains a daily burden.
This is not the first time regulators have scrutinised communication costs. Icasa published its priority markets inquiry on 30 June 2017, while the Competition Commission launched its Data Services Market Inquiry in August 2017 to understand the causes of high data prices. Both processes produced findings and recommendations, yet the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies issued a tender in 2026 for a fresh market analysis study.
The department’s tender, reported by Business Day on 1 August 2026, aims to “identify the policy and strategic choices needed to address the high cost of communications in South Africa” and assess why previous interventions have not delivered affordable voice and data. The study will examine the roles of competition, investment patterns, regulation, infrastructure, spectrum, and taxes in pricing.
The exact timeline for Icasa’s new inquiry remains unconfirmed beyond TechCentral’s reporting. What is still unknown is whether findings will extend into 2027 and what specific working-day deadlines the regulator has set for submissions. Cape Flats News will check for Icasa’s official gazette notice and submission deadlines in the coming week.