Maziv, the company that owns Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa, plans to spend R12-billion over the next five years as its ramps its deployment of fibre infrastructure across South Africa. Poised for a big injection of cash and assets from Vodacom, which is buying a 30% co-controlling stake in the business, it has unveiled big plans to deploy fibre in townships and other underserved parts of the country. In this exclusive podcast interview, CEO Dietlof Mare unpacks Maziv’s ambitious plans with the TechCentral Show, telling TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about: • The painful three-and-a-half years it took to get the deal over the line with the competition authorities and how these delays undermined investment in new fibre builds in South Africa; • Why regulators need to reflect on the time it took to conclude the transaction, and why they need to be quicker in adjudicating M&A activity to grow the economy; • How the merging parties eventually secured the approval of the Competition Commission, which had initially recommended that the transaction be blocked on competition grounds; • Vumatel’s deployment plans – where it’s going to focus next with its new fibre builds and why; • The economics of rolling out fibre into townships and into low-income communities, a key focus for the business over the next five years; • What the conclusion of the deal means for the sector, including the potential for further consolidation of fibre network operators; • The policy and regulatory changes Maziv would like to see to help it speed up the deployment of fibre in South Africa; and • How the Maziv business is expected to change in the coming years. Don’t miss a great discussion about the future of broadband internet infrastructure in South Africa!