The approval by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) of Herotel’s licence transfer application marked a definitive step forward in strengthening South Africa’s fibre ecosystem and accelerating the collective mission of building connected lives, communities and societies, Vumatel parent company Maziv said on Friday.

This follows the approval of Vumatel’s acquisition of Herotel by the Competition Tribunal in December last year.

"Vumatel has long been a firm believer in Herotel’s vision, which is why we initially acquired a minority stake several years ago. The acquisition of the remaining shares is a resounding vote of confidence in Herotel’s long-term value,” said Maziv group CEO Dietlof Mare.

The acquisition allows the group to expand into historically underserved regions with greater speed and efficiency.

By combining Vumatel’s national scale and metropolitan expertise with Herotel’s specialised rural and underserved communities-driven footprint, Maziv Group is uniquely positioned to bridge the digital divide.

“By combining our capabilities, we can accelerate rollouts and deliver high-quality, affordable fibre to communities that have traditionally been left behind,” he said.

“Our focus has always been on secondary towns and markets where digital access was inconsistent. Joining forces with Vumatel gives us the infrastructure backbone to scale even faster,” added Herotel CEO Van Zyl Botha.

“This transaction creates cross-network opportunities that provide more choices for our customers and ensures that reliable Internet remains an enabler of education and economic growth in every corner of the country.”

The results of this strategy are already evident. Households on the Herotel network now consume a considerable amount of data a month, which continues to grow, while the Hero Prepaid model continues to see rapid growth.

This pay-as-you-go approach offers simplicity and fixed costs without bill shock, allowing families to access world-class connectivity without long-term contracts.

Herotel is South Africa’s third-largest fibre network operator, trailing Vuma and Openserve, an achievement that reflects a sustainable strategy that prioritises local presence and customer needs.

“As the group moves forward, the mission remains unchanged: keeping fibre affordable, staying local, and continuing to connect areas where reliable Internet makes the greatest difference in daily life,” said Botha.

The approval of the acquisition is subject to conditions that safeguard competition, ensure transparency and support public interest outcomes, and paves the way for the implementation of the merger between Vumatel and Herotel.

These conditions ensure the acquisition strengthens the national ecosystem while promoting fair competition and inclusive connectivity for all South Africans.