ADSL on its last legs in South Africa

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  By   Daniel Puchert Partially state-owned telecommunications company Telkom announced in its financial results for the year ending 31 March 2025 that its ADSL subscribers had more than halved to under 30,000. According to the company’s operational data, ADSL lines decreased from 64,959 in March 2024 to 29,770. This 54.2% decline highlights that the legacy broadband technology is slowly approaching the end of the road. Telkom’s ADSL business peaked at the end of March 2016 with 1.01 million subscribers — two years after fibre upstart Vumatel  broke ground in Parkhurst . What followed was a sharp decline in Telkom ADSL subscribers. Customers connected to its copper networks decreased by more than 500,000 over the next four years. This was partly driven by Telkom itself, which began actively switching off its copper network in some neighbourhoods. If it did not have fibre in the area, it would offer a “fixed line lookalike” wireless service that ran over its cellular ...
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A look at the new 300m luxury lagoon in Joburg

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 22 September 2021

Johannesburg-based lifestyle estate Steyn City has launched its new Clearwater lagoon, the first major development of its kind in the city.

The 900-hectare estate is located between Fourways and Lanseria in Johannesburg and is one of the largest estates in the country in terms of land size.

It was first launched in 2015 by developers Douw Steyn and Giuseppe Plumari, and drew R6.5 billion in investment for infrastructure, which also went to supporting infrastructure for the greater region, including roads, water and sewerage.

The new lagoon measures 300 metres in length and swimming just six lengths is the equivalent of 1.6 kilometres, said GAST Clearwater, the developers of the project.

The lagoon, which is exclusive to residents of the estate, also includes a number of water-based activities, including:

  • Kayaks;
  • Water slides;
  • Beach volleyball;
  • Beach-style sandpits;
  • A zero-depth water feature for toddlers;
  • A Laguna kiosk serving out beach-style treats like gelato ice cream and cocktails.

 

Dr Kevin Gast, chairman of the GAST Group, said the new project is aimed at allowing residents to enjoy the benefits of the coast without driving to the sea.

He adds that the lagoons can be built in and around any property development, adding significant economic and social value to the developer, while breakthrough green technology makes it possible to create facilities of this extraordinary size.

“Without compromising on sustainability, GAST’s clearwater bodies of water are cost-effective, requiring little maintenance and little in the way of chemical and energy requirements too.”

 

The lagoon comes less than a month after Steyn City launched a new helistop service, which it says is a first for residential developments in South Africa.

The dedicated helicopter facility has been built in line with international regulations and will allow full take-off and landing. It also includes a seven-star facility, including a reception and lounge area.

While the facility has been designed for residents of the estate, it is also open to non-residents, who can schedule or charter a flight.

Read: Updated travel restrictions for South Africa

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