Net Nine Nine targets 1.5m homes in township fibre push

Nearly R2 billion in funding for township-focused fibre operator Net Nine Nine will accelerate the rollout of connectivity across South Africa’s lower-income areas as the group pushes to reach 1.5 million homes by 2028.

Backed by RMB and a syndicate of lenders, the operator is targeting a segment where reliable, affordable internet options are still limited.

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Net Nine Nine, led by CEO Albert Oosthuysen, has secured R1.95 billion in syndicated funding arranged and underwritten by RMB.

The package includes a R1.3 billion social loan facility aimed at expanding fibre-to-the-home connectivity in South Africa’s township communities.

From Kagiso to scale

Net Nine Nine first rolled out in Kagiso, a township near Krugersdorp in Gauteng.

“Kagiso was our proof of concept,” Oosthuysen tells Moneyweb, describing how the group initially connected between 5 000 and 10 000 homes before embarking on a funding roadshow.

A defining feature of the business model is its involvement of the communities in which it operates, according to Oosthuysen.

Community members are involved in construction, installations, maintenance, sales and retail operations.

“The idea was to use local people to build, do installations and home drops for us.”

This approach has shaped how the network expands.

After its initial rollout in Kagiso, the group began receiving requests to move into areas such as Westonaria on the West Rand and parts of Pretoria, often driven by local economic development groups or councillors.

The group already has a presence in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, with the Western Cape its next target for expansion, Oosthuysen says.

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Community dynamics 

The expansion strategy relies heavily on building relationships within the areas where the group plans to operate. Engagement in communities typically starts with an understanding of local dynamics before infrastructure is rolled out.

That process has not been without challenges. Oosthuysen recalls early setbacks in Rustenburg in North West province, where the group struggled to get projects off the ground despite having the necessary approvals.

“We had the wayleaves and everything, but we just couldn’t proceed.”

The turning point came after a local individual, Nicholas Thipe, advised them to work with the community.

“He told us ‘Give me a week to sort it out’ and he kept his promise. He helped to connect us with the municipal manager and we could get going.”

Thipe soon joined the group, helping to reshape its approach.

“That opened our eyes. We now first find out what the dynamics are in the areas where we plan to roll out and then work with it,” Oosthuysen says.

The company typically brings in an experienced contractor to support local teams with skills transfer and equipment. Once established, those teams are able to continue independently.

Sales and operations follow a similar model, with local sales teams recruited and trained, and community-based retail stores handling payments, queries and maintenance issues such as damaged poles or cut cables.

Model built for affordability

The funding arranged by RMB is intended to accelerate this model, combining commercial objectives with measurable social impact, including job creation, improved access to education and broader participation in the digital economy.

South Africa’s broadband gap remains most visible in lower-income areas, where mobile data is often the primary – and expensive – option. Net Nine Nine’s model is designed to compete directly by offering uncapped fibre per household rather than per device.

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Packages range from R379 a month for 20 megabits per second (Mbps) to R699 for 100Mbps, with the 20Mbps and 50Mbps options the most popular.

Demand in township areas has exceeded that of more affluent suburbs, largely due to limited alternatives.

Net Nine Nine operates as both a fibre network operator and internet service provider. Combining these roles allows the business to lower costs.

“If you put the FNO [fibre network operator] and the ISP [internet service provider] together, you cut fat out of the system. And then you can lower the price,” says Oosthuysen.

Branding

Net Nine Nine sits alongside Evotel, which Oosthuysen founded in 2015 and which focuses on higher-income suburbs, within a holding company called Cynk.

The group as a whole has passed around 600 000 homes. Net Nine Nine itself has already passed just over 350 000 homes.

The group opted to launch a separate brand rather than extend Evotel into these areas, recognising that the pricing, product structure and customer proposition would need to differ.

“Evotel’s offering is for the ‘leafy’ suburbs and entering townships needed a lower-cost model, simpler product packaging and a rethink of how value is communicated to customers,” says Oosthuysen.

It has also allowed the business to strip out costs by combining infrastructure and service provision, while building a brand that would resonate more directly with its target market.

The Net Nine Nine brand itself reflects its positioning.

“Nine Nine in kasi language means ‘for sure, for real’,” Oosthuysen explains.

Economic impact

Oosthuysen shares two examples of Net Nine Nine’s community impact.

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“One woman with an amagwinya [vetkoek] stall introduced a Wi-Fi hotspot to attract more customers.

“In Kagiso, an artist began marketing his work online – and two months later got an invitation to an exhibition in Sweden.”

Beyond connectivity, the group has introduced initiatives aimed at extending access to digital tools. Schools in its coverage areas receive free high-quality internet connections, while an affiliated NGO, Internet for Education, has begun developing computer labs.

Oosthuysen says these efforts are not core to the business but form part of a broader shift in how the company engages with the areas it serves.

“We are trying to get the formal banking sector involved in the informal sector – we want to bridge it,” he says.

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The rollout model also creates employment across construction, operations and retail, with a significant portion of capital expenditure flowing directly into local economies.

Funding

RMB’s latest funding builds on earlier support of R850 million for Net Nine Nine’s initial development.

The most recent round brings in additional lenders, including Investec and Absa, as part of a syndicated structure.

The group estimates it will require around R5 billion in total to meet its rollout targets. Its pipeline for the next 12 months is fully funded, although build speed remains a key constraint.

In 2024, Net Nine Nine partnered with Infinite Partners, a BEE group backed by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) that is now its majority shareholder.

On international expansion, Oosthuysen remains cautious. “I don’t yet know if we’ll expand beyond borders, but there have definitely been invitations from other countries,” he says.

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