Gauteng government rolls out free wi-fi for hostels in Johannesburg

Hostels belonging to to the City of Johannesburg have become the latest municipal centres set to benefit through the Gauteng Provincial government-sponsored free WiFi internet rollout in the province.

The project which began this momth is set to run until the end of the year at already identified hostels in the province.

The announcement was made by the Gauteng Department of e-Government, which this week said it will be rolling out free WiFi in hostels located in the City of Johannesburg, known as the Gauteng Provincial Network (GPN).

At a consultative meeting held with hostel leaders on 5 November 2025, Sithembiso Ndlovu, a representative of the Department of e-Government, affirmed the community's support for the initiative. “A consultative meeting was held with hostel leaders from the various hostels to discuss the planned roll-out of free wi-fi,” he stated. This engagement marks a significant step in the department’s ongoing strategy to digitise townships, informal settlements, and hostels, collectively referred to as TISH areas.

The hostels slated for connection include prominent locations such as Diepkloof, Mzimhlophe, Jabulani, Madala Hostel, Helen Joseph, Dobsonville, George Goge, Nobuhle, Denver, Nancefield, Alexandra, Dube, Mapetla, and Orlando West, among others.

This initiative not only aims to enhance internet accessibility but also strives to ensure that residents can effectively engage with online government services.

MEC for e-governance, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, stated that access to the internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity that enables learning, job seeking, entrepreneurship, and citizen participation.

“The rolling out of free WIFI in hostels will allow hostel dwellers to be connected on the internet and easily access government services online. Through this initiative, we are bringing digital access closer to communities that were previously underserved,” Dhlamini said.

The MEC revealed that the project will also be of great benefit to all communities within the TISH areas in and around the City of Johannesburg.

“We kindly request that the leadership welcome and accept this new technology that will benefit our hostels. Kindly use this WIFI for accessing job opportunities as well as government services…An opportunity was given to the hostel leaders to express themselves. They all welcomed the initiative and committed to providing their support.

On Tuesday, Gauteng Premier confirmed that the province has been on a big roll-out of reliable internet connectivity in the province, saying the next step after digitising the province is to find ways to economically exploit internet services as part of the province’s commercial offering.

“I agree that we need to find ways to monetise and use AI…We are the only province that has made a huge investment in terms of the roll-out of wi fi and internet connectivity as part of the Gauteng broadband network. It starts there, because you can have these apps, but if you do not have a stable network, it will not help,” Lesufi said.

Lesufi revealed that the province is currently prioritising service delivery challenges that could be resolved through an integrated online and digital solution.

“I have said to the team in the department of health and the department of social development, that we must be the first province to get rid of people filling out manual forms. You should now have an app that gives you all the details and all the information you need. So, we are working hard on that,” he added.