SA minister calls for 'market-led approach' to 2G, 3G sunset

South Africa's Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has put forward a different view to previous policy directives around the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks in South Africa.

Speaking at a Mobile Monday event in Cape Town, South Africa this week, Malatsi said that the sunsetting of these technologies – which is planned for the end of 2027 – should be industry-led and inclusive rather than determined by government deadlines.

"While there is a determination to get towards the sunsetting of 2G and 3G, I think the most important thing is that that has to be market-led, instead of a government proposition of a deadline," he said during a panel discussion at Mobile Monday.

His rationale is that if government imposes strict deadlines, it risks leaving millions of South Africans – mostly those who are poor – "outside of the borders of the digital connectivity world."

"Currently, there are probably around 20 million South Africans who are still on 2G and 3G devices. So, if you were to switch off [these networks], what happens to those 20 million South Africans who rely on those 2G and 3G devices for communication?" the minister asked.

He said that in order to have credible policy interventions, the process needs to be inclusive, but it must also be followed by practical interventions that take the sector forward.

Related:South Africa pushes 2G, 3G sunset to 2027

"We need to make policy interventions that uplift people rather than suppress people's prospects for prosperity and for thriving. That requires that the process has to be inclusive in terms of engagement. It can't be a process that is driven by government alone. It has to include the sector, it has to include regulators and it has to include new players in the market," Malatsi said.

Sunset on the horizon

In September 2022, South Africa's Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), under former Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, called for a shutdown of 2G networks by June 30, 2024, and 3G by March 30, 2025.

In June 2024, Ntshavheni's replacement and Malatsi's predecessor, Mondli Gungubele, then changed the deadlines with a final cutoff date set for December 31, 2027.

Despite the end of 2027 seeming like a relatively long runway for the networks to be shut down, Gungubele, who is now deputy minister under Malatsi, also set some other deadlines for industry interventions that are swiftly approaching, and one that has already passed.

The government gazette published in June 2024 outlined these proposed dates for the sunset:

Related:ACT speaks out against SA's 2G, 3G shutdown deadlines

When questioned about these deadlines, Minister Malatsi told Connecting Africa that it would be reckless to proceed with the planned deadlines without a proper review of the number of 3G and 2G users in the country.

"That's the most important element because to simply proceed on the basis that there was a deadline while we still have such a voluminous amount of traffic [on 2G and 3G], will be reckless and actually inconsiderate to the digital needs of those South Africans who are still dependent on 2G and 3G devices," the minister said.

The SA government previously called for the total shutdown of 2G and 3G networks by December 31, 2027. (Source: wirestock on Freepik)

He said there needs to be an economic assessment of what the penetration levels are across technologies and then government can make an evidence-based decision about the deadline.

"It will be reckless to proceed on the basis of that deadline without doing a periodic assessment that [takes] into consideration the penetration levels, which will guide how to proceed," he added.

The minister's recent comments will satisfy South Africa's Association of Comms and Technology (ACT), which has been calling for an industry-led approach to phase the technologies out.

Freeing up spectrum

Malatsi said the sunset debate is linked to a broader debate about spectrum allocation and the proper use of spectrum in South Africa, with the 2G and 3G spectrum earmarked to be refarmed for more advanced technologies like 4G.

"The reality is that in order to transition towards 4G and 5G devices and also the use of that spectrum, you need to make that 2G and 3G spectrum available, but it has to be transitioned in a cautious manner so that you don't leave people all of a sudden disconnected," the minister said.

"So, there will obviously be a deadline, but our approach is that that deadline has to be driven by the natural progression that happens towards 4G and 5G," he said.

"So basically, what you do is you let the penetration levels of 4G and 5G guide the timeline for the transitioning, or the switch off of 2G and 3G, instead of putting the deadline in and then rushing everyone off – [if you do that] you're going to perpetuate the digital divide that exists, and that is not reasonable," he added.

The Minister also said the mission of his office is to obsess over the millions of South Africans who are still not connected and find ways to empower them with both the infrastructure and the digital skills that they need.

"Digital Inclusion has to be about the empowerment of individuals, because societies do not thrive if the most vulnerable members of those society do not live a meaningful life. We know living in the digital era now that the digital economy is a major contributor to economic growth in the country – global statistics showcase that," he explained.