SABEN - South African Broadband Education Network

10/08/2026

Women are central to South Africa’s post-school education system. In 2024, women made up 65% of students in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. That is a significant shift from 51% ten years earlier, in 2014. Women also accounted for 67% of graduates across all public Higher Education Institutions. This marks real progress in a country where education has not always been accessible to everyone.

When women can access quality education and training, qualify, and build careers, the benefit reaches far beyond the individual student. It strengthens families, communities, institutions and South Africa’s skills base.

SABEN is proud to play a small role in that access environment: the reliable connectivity that helps colleges communicate, teach and serve students.

17/07/2026

In education, access isn’t just about having internet - it’s about having enough of it. “Bandwidth poverty” is real, especially in rural areas.

SABEN works to address this by connecting colleges to high-capacity national infrastructure, so teaching and learning can happen as intended.

Learn more about how SABEN empowers colleges across South Africa in the full article: https://saben.ac.za/get-to-know-saben/

01/07/2026

01/07/2026

HACKATHON 2026 - Applications Now Open!

The GCIP-SA Provincial Hackathon Series 2026 is now open for applications across seven provinces in South Africa: Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo.

This Hackathon focuses on identifying practical, scalable cleantech solutions to address challenges in: Water Scarcity | Renewable Energy | Sustainable Tourism | Biodiversity Conservation | Air Quality | Waste Management | Smart Mobility | Urban Energy Efficiency | Mining Rehabilitation | Rural Energy Access | Water Infrastructure | Sustainable Agriculture

Dates: 6 to 7 July 2026
Time: 09:30 to 15:00
Venue: Online & In-person

Join us online from anywhere or attend one of our five in-person locations across 4 provinces. Gauteng | KwaZulu-Natal | Limpopo | Western Cape

We encourage participants to join online, making it easier than ever to collaborate, learn, and innovate from wherever you are.

Do you have a cleantech or sustainability idea that can help solve real challenges in your community?

Register today:
https://forms.office.com/r/UGrPV0ibA6

Join the Hackathon online via Microsoft Teams:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/37786214979261?p=Hd872Abz1uSjYyF5BR

Should you wish to attend this event at the CfERI at our Vredenburg Campus, please complete the following: https://forms.office.com/r/QffKmcirwK
(Only 24 spaces available - Book your place now!)



Start-Up Culture
www.asher-group.co.za

01/07/2026

16/06/2026

Youth Day is a reminder that opportunity starts with access to education for all young people.

SABEN’s mission is to improve connectivity in all TVET colleges across the country.
Through the SABEN network, 47 TVET college campuses across South Africa are connected to fast and reliable high speed internet. This gives teachers and students the tools they need to explore knowledge and build real opportunities for the future.

11/06/2026

Our Technical Manager, Mark, is in Helsinki this week for TNC26, one of the world’s leading conferences for research and education networking.

The conversations happening at TNC shape the infrastructure behind every connected campus: the networks that keep learning platforms running and research flowing.

At SABEN, we work behind the scenes to enable that connectivity across South Africa’s TVET colleges. When it works well, it might go unnoticed, but it’s what makes modern teaching and learning possible.

TNC is where new ideas and partnerships come together to strengthen that foundation. We’re proud to be part of this global community, and to bring that thinking back into the networks South African teachers and students rely on every day.

Photos: GÉANT

04/06/2026

⚡️ Register now for SABEN Connects 2026

We are excited to announce that delegate registration is open for SABEN Connects, a day of TVET conversations around Technology in the Classroom on 30 September in Cape Town.

FAQs
⚡️ Who should attend?
All TVET IT heads, technicians and engineers are encouraged to join us at SABEN Connects on 30 September 2026. Principals, academics and decision makers are also welcome to attend. Everyone is welcome!

⚡️How many delegates from my TVET can attend?
Most TVET colleges plan to send between 3 and 5 staff members to SABEN Connects.

⚡️What does the delegate pass include?
The delegate pass of R2000 per person includes all seminars and talks throughout the day. Delegates can enjoy the Expo Hall and meet with key suppliers. We will be serving morning and afternoon tea and coffee, and a delicious buffet lunch for all.

⚡️Can I get tickets at the door?
No, all delegates must register online. Proof of payment must be sent for your Pass to be confirmed.

⚡️What about travel arrangements?
All travel and accommodation expenses are for your own account.

Register online at https://saben.ac.za/saben-connects-2026/

01/06/2026

What Does SABEN Do?
SABEN leases managed services that connect TVET colleges to South Africa’s national research and education network. Using the existing NREN infrastructure, SABEN is the bridge from campus to cable.

As of 2025, SABEN had connected 256 out of 283 campuses across 45 public TVET colleges through the TVET Colleges Connection Programme.

In many cases, campuses moved from connections as slow as 10 Mbps to speeds of up to 1000 Mbps. These upgrades allow thousands of students and lecturers to teach and learn online with confidence.

21/05/2026

What makes SABEN different?

You may be asking yourself ‘Why should our college use a SABEN connection for our internet needs”. While consumer-level ISPs in South Africa sometimes offer discounted services according to the e-Rate, it is true that you get what you pay for.

⚡️ SABEN offers a dedicated line, meaning the bandwidth is not shared with other users, ensuring consistent speeds. You get increased stability and performance at all times.
⚡️ Personalised support: With mainstream ISPs you might wait on hold with a call centre for hours without any assistance. As a SABEN client, you have a direct line to our technical teams.
⚡️ Lightning fast speeds. Your service from a commercial ISP can sometimes be much slower than the speed you are paying for. SABEN, in partnership with the NREN, offers a world-class speed of up to 1Gbps enabling your campus to stay connected throughout the day.