Dietlof Mare Drives Vumatel to One Million Subscribers

Maziv chief executive Dietlof Mare is marking a defining moment in South Africa’s broadband evolution as fibre network operator Vumatel surpassed one million connected subscribers nationwide.

The milestone confirms Vumatel as the country’s largest fibre network serving homes and signals how quickly fibre broadband is replacing older fixed-line technologies. The achievement comes about a decade after the company launched its first project in the Johannesburg suburb of Parkhurst in 2014.

Industry analysts say the pace of adoption is notable. Legacy ADSL services took nearly 14 years to reach just over one million subscribers before peaking. Fibre has reached that same level faster as households increasingly demand reliable, high-speed connectivity for work, education and entertainment.

Mare described the milestone as validation of Vumatel’s long-term approach to network expansion and partnerships. He said fibre has moved beyond being a premium service and is now essential infrastructure for modern life.

Vumatel currently passes more than two million homes and works with over 75 internet service providers through an open-access wholesale model. Industry data shows the company accounts for roughly 36 percent of South Africa’s fibre market by homes passed and connected.

Telkom subsidiary Openserve remains the closest competitor. As of March 31, 2025, Openserve had passed 1.38 million homes and connected 694,630 customers. Its fibre connectivity rate of 50.4 percent is the highest in the market, with fibre services contributing more than 80 percent of its operating revenue.

Much of Vumatel’s recent momentum has come from its Reach service, which focuses on lower-income and historically underserved communities. Mare said early growth was driven by established suburbs in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, but expansion into townships has reshaped the company’s footprint.

Today, about half of all homes on the Vumatel network are located in areas such as Soweto, Khayelitsha and Umlazi. The company says demand in these communities reflects a growing recognition that affordable broadband can unlock economic and educational opportunities.

Vumatel strengthened this push in 2024 with the launch of Vuma Key, its lowest-priced offering aimed at households earning under R5,000 per month. The product has been piloted in communities including Alexandra and Khayelitsha, with early uptake described as encouraging.

The company’s rapid growth has also attracted strategic attention. In August 2025, South Africa’s competition appeal court approved Vodacom’s plan to acquire a 30 to 35 percent stake in Maziv. The decision overturned an earlier ruling that blocked the deal on competition grounds.

Regulators approved the transaction with conditions designed to limit Vodacom’s influence and ensure continued investment in fibre infrastructure.