Cyber Nugget IT — Garden Route & Karoo IT Services
In This Article
South Africa is facing slower internet speeds in some regions this week due to emergency repairs on the West Africa Cable System (WACS) — a critical undersea data link stretching 14,500 km between South Africa and Europe. For businesses in the Garden Route, Karoo and across the country, this is a timely reminder of how dependent our connectivity is on physical infrastructure we rarely think about.
What Happened to WACS?
The cable went offline on Sunday, 1 June 2025, after a serious fault was discovered in a branching unit near Swakopmund, off the coast of Namibia. This branching unit is responsible for directing data traffic along the cable's path — essentially a junction box on the ocean floor that routes data to different destinations.
A specialised deep-sea repair vessel was dispatched and successfully retrieved the damaged component. Engineers are now working to install a replacement unit and run full system tests to restore connectivity between Yzerfontein (South Africa) and Lisbon (Portugal).
"The main cable remains intact. We're now focused on installing the new unit and verifying signal integrity." — Robert Kraai, co-chair of the WACS operations committee.
Impact on South African Internet
Businesses relying on international cloud services, video conferencing, and offshore data storage have reported noticeably slower performance. South African ISPs have been rerouting traffic through alternative cables where capacity allows, but total international bandwidth has been reduced.
"Networks in the Western Cape rely heavily on WACS, so outages like this can be highly disruptive." — Spokesperson, Cool Ideas ISP
Repair Timeline
Repairs are projected to continue until at least 16 June 2025, though progress depends on weather and sea conditions in the South Atlantic.
"If the ocean allows, we're hopeful services will resume by the third week of June. But with the sea, there are no guarantees." — Telecom analyst Roderick Beck
Why WACS Matters for South Africa
WACS is a cornerstone of South Africa's digital infrastructure, supporting not just everyday internet browsing but also high-speed business data, international CDNs, and cloud services. It connects South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Portugal and the UK — making it essential for both regional and global traffic.
📊 WACS by the Numbers
- 14,500 km in length — South Africa to the UK
- Connects 14 countries across Africa and Europe
- Design capacity of 5.12 Tbps
- One of SA's primary international internet cables
How to Protect Your Business from Future Disruptions
1. Implement Internet Failover
The most effective solution is a dual-WAN setup: fibre as primary and LTE as automatic backup. If your primary connection is affected, your router switches to LTE automatically with zero manual intervention. Cyber Nugget IT can configure this for your business.
2. Use Local Hosting Where Possible
If your business-critical applications are hosted in South Africa rather than overseas, international cable disruptions have a much smaller impact. We can advise on South African hosting and cloud solutions.
3. VoIP with LTE Fallback
A well-configured VoIP system with LTE failover ensures your business phones keep ringing even when your primary internet is affected.
💡 Need Help Setting Up Internet Failover?
Cyber Nugget IT specialises in business internet resilience across the Garden Route and Karoo. Call 044 873 4335 or contact us online for a free consultation.