A public-private partnership is undertaking a fibre pre-provisioning proof-of-concept (PoC) project at a new mega housing development in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal.

Combining public-sector planning and housing delivery with technology and network infrastructure, the project is being deployed by Openserve, Huawei, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements and the uMhlathuze local municipality.

Physical infrastructure for fibre is being installed during the construction of 405 houses under Phase 1A of the Empangeni integrated residential development programme in the uMhlathuze municipality to ensure the homes are ready for high-speed connectivity once services are deployed.

The Empangeni development is among the first in South Africa to use the ‘pipe and box’ method to put the infrastructure for future connectivity in place while the homes and other essential infrastructure are being built.

The broader vision is to plan human settlements with digital infrastructure in mind, considering connectivity alongside housing, roads, water, electricity and other essential infrastructure from the earliest stages of development.

“While this PoC does not itself provide fibre services, it establishes the physical infrastructure that will make future connectivity possible. Just as we plan for roads, for water and for electricity, so too must we plan for connectivity,” says KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli.

“Just as roads connect people physically, fibre infrastructure connects communities digitally. Instead of treating connectivity as an afterthought, we are integrating it into the earlier stages of planning and development,” adds KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements chief director Lindani Khoza, describing the PoC as a new way of thinking about infrastructure delivery.

Through the project, the partners aim to demonstrate how collective expertise from the public and private sectors can create communities that are ready for the digital future.

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, through the Office of the Premier, is providing leadership and strategic oversight and the Department of Human Settlements is contributing its expertise in settlement planning and development, while the uMhlathuze local municipality is leading local coordination, including infrastructure requirements, approvals and stakeholder engagement.

Huawei is providing technical advice, programme support and knowledge transfer, and Openserve is contributing telecommunications infrastructure and expertise in network deployment, including planning for future connectivity.

uMhlathuze local municipality Mayor Xolani Ngwezi says the project is an important milestone in the journey to become a smart, connected and inclusive city.

“A connected city is a competitive city. A connected resident is an empowered resident.”

Department of Communications and Digital Technologies digital government chief director Rendani Musetha described the project in the context of national broadband policy, questioning why houses should be built now without a thought about connectivity until later. “A fibre cable has little meaning on its own. Its value comes from what it enables.”

“When the government builds a home, a connection to the digital economy should be built in, just like water, just like electricity, just like the road,” agrees Openserve enterprise and public sector executive Pearl Schrimpton.

“Our commitment to this project is simple: we build it properly, we measure it openly, and we will share what we learned with our partners in government, so that the country can decide on facts rather than assumptions.”

The initiative is a “pioneer step”, says Huawei South Africa deputy CEO Charles Cheng, explaining the company’s belief that fibre pre-provisioning must become a standard policy at a national level, .

Fibre pre-provisioning during or before road construction saves cost and avoids damage to the road.

“We want to find a way that we can get more affordable connectivity to every South African household,” says Huawei solution manager Li Yanbang.

The project is expected to provide a practical learning opportunity for government, municipalities, developers and network operators, with insights gained informing how fibre is planned, costed and installed in future housing developments, helping guide similar projects to support digitally inclusive, fibre-ready communities across South Africa.

Communities with fibre-ready infrastructure in place are better positioned to benefit as services become available. Connectivity can expand access to education, healthcare and participation in the digital economy.

Lessons from Empangeni are also expected to inform the national integration of digital infrastructure into human settlements, as government and industry partners evaluate the model for broader adoption.