Open-access dark fibre infrastructure provider, Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), plans to invest over $9.3 million next year to add 120 kilometres of cable to its South African network.

The company, which says it is currently trenching in the Klerksdorp area of South Africa, says it has already built a 6,700 kilometres fibre-optic cable network in SA thus far.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecommunications firms such as Cell C, Vodacom and MTN rent parts of the network, says DFA. The firm says that other clients include media conglomerates, educational institutions and metropolitan municipalities.

DFA’s network also connects to undersea broadband cables such as SEACOM and the West African Cable System (WACS).

“We will be taking on some risk as we work to get fibre to every business and many homes, we anticipate 20% take-up over the next four years,” said chief executive officer for DFA, Gustav Smit.