The region”s purpose-led initiatives have reached thousands of people, reaffirming Vodacom’s commitment to building a digitally inclusive society while investing in critical infrastructure.
Vodacom South Africa is leveraging technology and purposeful investment for good, driving measurable social impact across the Western Cape. The region’s purpose-led initiatives have reached thousands of people, reaffirming Vodacom’s commitment to building a digitally inclusive society while investing in critical infrastructure.
“Guided by our purpose to connect people for a better future, Vodacom Western Cape continues to invest in initiatives that enable access to quality education, empower women and youth with digital skills, provide critical support in times of need, and strengthen our network infrastructure. Our focus is on creating meaningful change that strengthens communities, unlocks opportunities for all, and ensures reliable connectivity for everyone in our region.”
– Waldi Wepener, Managing Executive, Vodacom Western Cape Region
Transforming young lives through digital education
Vodacom Western Cape’s investment in education has significantly uplifted Schools of Excellence (SoEs) and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres across the region. The Vodacom Foundation supports four SoEs in the Western Cape – Worcester Secondary School, Diazville High School, Mitchells Plain School of Skills, and Masakhane Primary – complemented by four ECD Centres (Jolly Juniors in Worcester, Oppie Galoppie in Saldanha Bay, The Young Ones ECD Centre in Mitchell’s Plain, and Good Hope Early Learning Centre), two Teacher Centres, and two ICT centres. These places of learning provide access to quality education and digital literacy to youth, equipping them with future-ready skills essential in today’s economy.
Vodacom supports SoEs in the region by providing infrastructure maintenance, decommissioning pit latrines where necessary, refurbishing computer centres, providing devices, connectivity, and ICT coordinators recruited from Vodacom’s Youth Academy. The Youth Academy’s IT Technical Support Learnership programme has successfully graduated over 170 young people from underprivileged backgrounds, equipping them with essential computer skills and work experience at SoEs and ECDs. Currently, 10 ICT coordinators are deployed across the Western Cape to assist educators and learners with technology.
Notably, Diazville High School has been equipped with a Virtual Classroom solution and a cutting-edge Coding and Robotics programme, positioning learners for careers in technology and innovation. Additionally, 183 Connected Schools across the Western Cape benefit from Vodacom’s connectivity initiatives.
Recognising the need to support mental well-being and address challenges such as bullying and gender-based violence in schools, Vodacom has placed six psychosocial support workers in Western Cape SoEs – two at Worcester Secondary School, two at Diazville High School, one at Mitchells Plain School of Skills, and one at Masakhane Primary – creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment and providing crucial trauma support to vulnerable learners.
Empowering women with digital skills
Community Development Centres continue to serve as hubs for digital skills training. Vodacom has provided ICT training to 40 female farmers in the Western Cape, equipping them with digital literacy to access agricultural information, connect with markets, and grow their businesses using technology. Additionally, since 2017, Vodacom has empowered GBV survivors nationwide with digital skills, enabling them to rebuild their lives and achieve economic independence. In the Western Cape, 55 GBV survivors have been trained in shelters since the inception of the programme, with 20 survivors trained during the 2025/26 financial year alone.
In a further demonstration of commitment to gender empowerment, Vodacom donated five laptops to the New Breed Empowerment NPO to support victim empowerment programmes, youth development, child protection services, and community initiatives.
Supporting communities in times of crisis
Vodacom Western Cape demonstrated its humanitarian commitment by donating R300,000 in June 2025 and R500,000 in October to Gift of the Givers to assist communities severely affected by fires and flooding.
In total, Vodacom invested R1.1 million during the 2024/25 financial year towards disaster relief in the Western Cape, including support for fire relief in Kayamandi, storm response, flood relief, and animal feed intervention for farmers in the Kharkhams area. These donations provided essential relief including hot meals, blankets, school uniforms, toiletries, medicine, and baby care packs to communities such as Khayelitsha, Du Noon, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Philippi, Mitchells Plain, Macassar, and Nyanga.
Beyond disaster relief, Vodacom Foundation partnered with the Smile Foundation to support Smile Week at Tygerberg Hospital, where approximately 13 children from disadvantaged backgrounds received life-changing reconstructive surgeries.
Investing in network infrastructure
Vodacom has invested R450 million this financial year to enhance network quality, capacity, and reach across the Western Cape, building on the R350 million invested in 2023/24. This investment improves network strength and provides disaster recovery infrastructure in times of need.
“Vodacom is committed to going beyond connectivity to make a lasting difference in people’s lives. By using technology as a force for good and investing substantially in our infrastructure, we are helping to create a more inclusive, sustainable future for the Western Cape.”
– Waldi Wepener, Managing Executive, Vodacom Western Cape Region
