Mahesh Bhalareo, Director YouTube Product Partnerships, EMEA and Zunaid Mahomed, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, at MAZIV
YouTube and Vumatel (Vuma), part of the MAZIV Group, have launched a pilot that brings affordable fibre and smart TV streaming into township households. The rollout begins in Alexandra Township, where 2,000 homes will receive fibre connections and Google TV dongles. These devices turn ordinary televisions into connected screens, giving families instant access to online learning, entertainment, and communication tools.
Expanding Digital Access in Underserved Areas
The programme tackles one of South Africa’s most rooted inequalities, reliable internet access in previously disadvantaged communities. Vuma offers low-cost fibre, while YouTube and Google TV provide the content and technology that help families participate fully online.
The partnership supports MAZIV’s broader goal of delivering fast, dependable broadband to every home and ensuring that connectivity leads to real social and economic benefits.
Why TV-Based Streaming Matters for Township Users
YouTube has become the top platform for TV watch time in major markets. More families use the living-room screen for news, learning, and entertainment. That shift shows how important the TV has become for digital engagement.
Mahesh Bhalareo, Director of YouTube Product Partnerships for EMEA, said the bundle focuses on simplicity and affordability
“Enabling an easy-to-use, accessible Connected TV experience is key to driving digital literacy and content adoption. By bundling Google TV dongles with Vuma’s reliable and fast fibre, we’re creating a seamless pathway for customers to enjoy the full range of our content from education to entertainment in a way that is affordable and sustainable for their households.”
Vuma has spent years extending fibre into township neighbourhoods. That work helped lower costs and opened the market to households previously shut out by price or infrastructure gaps. This pilot builds on that progress by ensuring people can use the connection meaningfully.
Zunaid Mahomed, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at MAZIV, explained the impact of the partnership:
“Our fibre-to-the-home model disrupted the market by breaking the financial barriers to connectivity for households across South Africa. The collaboration with YouTube and Google TV is a powerful extension of that mission. It enables people not only to get connected, but to experience the full value of being connected learning, earning, and engaging through technology.”
Inclusive Digital Participation
For YouTube, the pilot supports its global mission to improve access to knowledge, creativity, and entertainment. Tony Archibong, Managing Director of Global Product Partnerships at YouTube, said the programme helps ensure that high-quality, relevant content reaches every household regardless of income or location.
“This pilot is an important step in upholding the platform’s mission to give everyone a voice and show them the world,” he said.
With fibre access expanding into township streets and living-room screens lighting up with new possibilities, the partnership stands as one of the country’s most promising attempts to level the digital playing field.
Read more about MAZIV here
