Building digital lifelines that connect South African learners to opportunity begins with creating learning environments where connectivity, technology, and access come together in meaningful ways.
ICT labs are classrooms of growing national importance, serving as centres of digital learning that prepare young people for the world of work of tomorrow. More than mere physical infrastructure, these beacons of connection open new pathways for millions of South African learners to develop critical digital skills, while strengthening literacy and numeracy outcomes.
The Telkom Group ICT lab handover at Thubalethu Secondary School in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape, today is a tangible example of this commitment in action. With new computer screens, servers, routers, freshly painted walls, new tiling and furniture, more than 750 learners at the school now have access to a digitally enabled learning environment designed to support learning, growth, and future opportunity.
This latest launch and handover is one of several such milestones for South Africa’s leading telecommunications provider. Over the last three financial years, Telkom refurbished and handed over 17 ICT labs nationwide, with over 8,716 devices donated, representing an investment of R33 million.
“Today we stand proud, that as the backbone of the country’s digital infrastructure, we were able to extend meaningful connectivity and digital access to communities that need it most,” Lunga Siyo, CEO: Consumer and Small Business at Telkom said. “This ICT lab is more than a technology hub – it is a gateway to opportunity, learning and future economic participation for the learners of Thubalethu Secondary School.”
The handover coincides with World Telecommunications Information Society Day (WTISD), commemorated annually on May 17. This year’s theme, “Digital Lifelines: Strengthening resilience in a connected world,” highlights the critical role that connectivity and digital infrastructure play in enabling resilience, inclusion, and participation in modern society.
Digital lifelines, according to the organisation, are the networks and systems that carry information around the globe. “They include mobile and fixed networks, undersea cables linking continents, satellites that support communication and navigation, and data centres that keep digital services running together…,” the organisation stated.
Siyo added, “At Telkom, we believe that no child’s potential should be limited by geography or lack of access to digital resources. Partnerships such as these reflect our ongoing commitment to bridging the digital divide and building a more connected, inclusive and empowered South Africa.”
In the financial year ending March 2025 alone, the Telkom Foundation invested a total of R72.5 million in community development initiatives, with more than R47.3 million directed towards education programmes and over R21 million invested specifically in digital skills development. In addition, Openserve’s Free Fibre School’s Programme has connected 422 schools nationally, reaching more than 250,000 learners, with a target of 1,200 schools.
These investments reflect Telkom’s continued commitment to bridging South Africa’s digital divide by ensuring that learners, regardless of geography, have access to the tools and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly digital economy.
Vuyani Skosana, Principal at Thubalethu expressed gratitude to Telkom for investing in the future of the school’s learners. “This ICT lab represents hope and opportunity for our learners – it is a real lifeline. This investment will not only benefit our current learners, but generations of learners who will come through our school in years to come.”
