{
  "id": 14922809,
  "title": "Vuyani Jarana: How a boy fascinated by radios became a champion of rural connectivity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/vuyani-jarana-how-a-boy-fascinated-by-radios-became-a-champion-of",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-16T09:18:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCabal",
    "slug": "techcabal",
    "url": "https://techcabal.com/2026/10/16/vuyani-jarana-township-connectivity/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Vuyani Jarana, the CEO of Ilitha Telecoms, is working to bring affordable broadband to underprivileged townships and rural areas. In an interview with Philisani Moyo, Jarana explains how internet access can be more than just a utility—it can serve as a catalyst for economic development in communities. As a young boy in Eastern Cape Province, Jarana was captivated by the voices of radios. He, along with his friends, would dismantle discarded sets, attempting to understand their inner workings despite having no knowledge of electronics. This early fascination with radios led Jarana to pursue a career in telecommunications, even though his original plans included studying medicine or chemical engineering. His father's death while he was writing his final high school exams forced him to find employment that would provide both training and income. Jarana began his career as a trainee technician at Transkei Post and Telecommunications, a company that offered on-the-job training alongside formal education. After moving on to Vodacom, then South African Airways, Jarana returned to the telecommunications sector with a focus on providing accessible, dependable broadband connections for communities that had been left behind. Ilitha Telecoms aims to connect 600,000 homes across the Eastern Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal Province in a sustainable manner. The company secured funding of R500 million ($30.4 million) from Absa Corporate and Investment Banking and an additional R420 million ($25.5 million) from Meridiam, a European sustainable infrastructure investor. These investments are aimed at expanding high-speed fiber access to low-income households. For Jarana, the goal is not merely to provide internet access, but to ensure that the broadband is useful for people's daily lives. This means understanding how people live in their communities and tailoring the network to meet their needs. Ilitha's approach involves a nomadic broadband model, where the company customizes its services to fit the unique circumstances of each community. Jarana emphasizes the importance of understanding local population densities, connection costs, and infrastructure requirements to ensure long-term viability. He warns against a quick expansion strategy, urging the company to build a strong proposition in the areas where it believes it can make a meaningful impact.",
  "summary": "As the youngest child in a household without a breadwinner, he felt responsible for helping support his family.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}