In the radio-frequency landscape, blocks of airwaves sit idle like empty parking spaces, waiting for a licence to give them purpose. Communications minister Solly Malatsi has announced that the government will no longer keep a portion of those blocks reserved for a project that never launched.
High-demand spectrum refers to frequencies that mobile operators need to deliver fast data services such as 4G and 5G. Because the airwaves are finite, regulators assign them through licences, often via auction.
The Woan, a wireless open-access network, was the government’s attempt to create a wholesale operator that would sell capacity to internet service providers. The idea was that a neutral player could boost competition and extend coverage, especially in underserved areas.
According to a statement from the Department of Communications & Digital Technologies, Minister Solly Malatsi formally withdrew the reservation of that spectrum. “Spectrum that sits unassigned is not neutral,” Malatsi said. “Every year it remains unused is a year of coverage not extended, congestion not relieved and investment not made.”
The amendment to the 2019 high-demand spectrum policy was published in the Government Gazette on 20 September 2026 and took effect immediately, the department said. The statement does not list which frequencies become available, but Cell C’s submissions to Icasa’s roadmap suggest the freed blocks could total about 50 MHz, 20 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 30 MHz at 2.6 GHz.
What is confirmed is the removal of the policy direction that forced the regulator to set aside the Woan spectrum. How the freed frequencies are licensed is now up to Icasa, which has not yet published a timetable.
For mobile operators such as MTN and Vodacom, the change removes a hurdle that they have argued limits competition and leaves valuable airwaves underused. Smaller internet service providers and start-ups that rely on wholesale capacity could also benefit if the spectrum is released on commercial terms.
The wider picture is a South African mobile market that has struggled with congestion and high data prices. Releasing the set-aside could accelerate the rollout of 5G and improve coverage in rural areas, aligning with the government’s universal service objectives.
While the policy shift clears a regulatory obstacle, the next steps, which frequencies will be auctioned, at what price, and whether any conditions will remain, are still to be announced. Operators and investors will be watching Icasa’s next move closely.
Read more about the telecom sector in our Tech & Telco coverage.
TechCentral reported that a draft amendment withdrawing the Woan reservation was published for public comment in March 2022 but never finalised, leaving the question of its status unresolved until the minister’s announcement. The department’s statement confirmed that the amendment to the 2019 high-demand spectrum policy was published in the Government Gazette on 20 September 2026 and took effect immediately. By removing the policy direction that forced Icasa to set aside the spectrum, the government has cleared the way for the regulator to decide how to licence the frequencies that have sat idle since the scheme was first introduced.
TechCentral noted that Icasa’s tables do not label any spectrum as Woan spectrum, yet they show unassigned blocks that match the sizes described by Cell C: 20 MHz of the 60 MHz identified for mobile use at 700 MHz and 30 MHz of the 190 MHz identified at 2.6 GHz. Those figures align with Cell C’s submission to Icasa’s International Mobile Telecommunications Roadmap 2026, which suggested the freed blocks could total about 50 MHz. The regulator’s roadmap, gazetted on 24 July, omitted any reference to the Woan, reflecting the uncertainty that persisted after the 2022 draft amendment was never completed.
TechCentral explained that the Woan was originally created in 2020 when Icasa set aside a package that included 30 MHz at 2.6 GHz and 30 MHz at 3.5 GHz. Successful auction bidders were then obliged to procure at least 30 percent of national capacity from the Woan for seven years once it became operational. The department’s recent statement does not address what becomes of that obligation, leaving open whether any future licencees will inherit the requirement or if it will be removed entirely.
TechCentral recorded that MTN argued against continuing the set-aside, citing the failure of similar models internationally, while Vodacom said set-asides reduce competition and risk under-use of spectrum. The SA Communications Forum proposed licensing the set-aside on a temporary basis, and the DA called for the spectrum to be licensed as soon as possible. Malatsi, a DA member, became minister in July 2024. These positions illustrate the industry’s consensus that releasing the blocks could unlock capacity for commercial deployment.
In South Africa, high-demand spectrum is allocated through licences that are usually awarded by auction, with the regulator setting conditions such as wholesale capacity obligations, universal service targets and empowerment requirements. When a block is released from a set-aside, operators can bid for it, potentially lowering the cost of acquiring spectrum and accelerating network roll-out. Business owners should monitor Icasa’s forthcoming timetable, the format of any auction and whether any residual obligations from the Woan scheme will be attached to the new licences, as these factors will shape investment decisions and service availability.
