Frogfoot Rise has appointed Sandile Mkhwanazi as Head of Community Relations, strengthening the company’s focus on inclusive fibre rollouts and community-led engagement as it expands its connectivity offering through its RISE initiative.
Mkhwanazi will bring his expertise in relationship building and deep understanding of local communities to spearhead community engagement and stakeholder alignment across fibre deployment projects. His role will ensure that infrastructure is introduced responsibly and local communities are fully informed, involved and supported throughout the rollout process.
“Successful fibre deployment is not just about engineering and infrastructure,” says Mkhwanazi. “It’s about building strong relationships with communities so that people understand how connectivity can benefit their homes, education and livelihoods. Our goal is to ensure communities are part of the journey from the very beginning, so fibre adds value and investment is meaningful.”
His work focuses particularly on neighbourhoods that have historically had limited access to reliable broadband, where building trust and awareness is essential to the success of new network infrastructure.
Mkhwanazi brings extensive experience in community engagement and rollout activations, having managed pre-build awareness campaigns in both established and previously unconnected communities. His approach centres on working closely with residents, local leaders and community stakeholders to ensure that fibre deployment is transparent, accessible and responsive to local needs.
Before joining Frogfoot, Mkhwanazi built a diverse career spanning agriculture, education and community engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Oenology from Stellenbosch University, as well as a Certificate in Professional Educational Development from the same institution. He has also completed the Senior Leaders in the Wine Industry programme through Stellenbosch Business School Executive Development.
Earlier in his career, Mkhwanazi served as a lecturer at the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute, where he contributed to the training and development of future professionals in the agricultural sector. His experience across both academic and community-facing environments has been fundamental to his collaborative approach to stakeholder engagement and communication.
At Frogfoot, Mkhwanazi will support the continued growth of the RISE programme, which aims to extend fibre connectivity into underserved areas while creating long-term value for residents, businesses and local communities.
“Before fibre arrives in a community, you often see children standing outside school fences trying to access the building’s Wi-Fi. When connectivity reaches their homes, that changes completely. Suddenly they can learn, research and connect from their own safe spaces. It’s a small change that makes a very big difference,” he said. “This is why I believe that through engagement with communities, fibre infrastructure can deliver real and lasting benefits.”
Frogfoot’s RISE initiative forms part of the company’s broader strategy to expand high-quality broadband infrastructure across South Africa while promoting inclusive digital access.
