Undersea cable crisis: What happened to WACS?

Loading player...
Stacey and J Sbu are joined by Jan Vermeulen, editor at MyBroadband, to break down the recent internet disruptions caused by a fault in the West Africa Cable System (WACS).

Jan explains how a damaged branching unit off the coast of Namibia led to emergency repairs, what this means for South African internet users, and why some service providers were hit harder than others.

From underwater diagnostics to redundancy planning and the role of major tech players like Google and Meta, this episode dives into the complex world of undersea internet infrastructure and why most of us barely noticed it was broken.
10 Jun English South Africa Society & Culture · Personal Journals

Other recent episodes

SharksFest 2025: East Coast Radio calls on Jacaranda FM

In the lead-up to SharksFest, Stacey and J Sbu called their sister station, Jacaranda FM to chat with JacaDrive hosts Rob and Roz. With the Sharks taking on the Bulls this SharksFest, it was important to the Drive duo to get in touch with their frenemies... Rob and Roz got…
10 Dec 3 min

Lego League success: Northlands Primary's Smooth Sailors head to South Korea

As we close off Kiddies’ Hotline for the year, we’re celebrating a proudly KZN story that is making waves far beyond our coastline. Northlands Primary’s First Lego League team, the Smooth Sailors, have just made history. After an incredible performance at the national “Unearthed” First Lego League competition in Johannesburg,…
10 Dec 5 min

Christmas gifting: Is it about presents or presence?

Every December, the same question pops up: What’s the real meaning of gifting? Is it about piling up shiny boxes under the tree, or is it about giving experiences and memories that last a lifetime? Some say material gifts are overrated; they clutter our homes and drain our wallets. Others…
9 Dec 5 min

FlySafair have a surprise in store for you this festive season

J Sbu sat down with the team from FlySafair to talk about something truly magical taking to our skies this festive season. For years, they’ve dreamed of creating a Christmas livery that would wow South Africans, and this year, that dream came true. Picture this: Santa in his sleigh, packed…
5 Dec 4 min

Deterrence vs rehabilitation: KZN DoT weekly roadblocks

Today on The Great Drive, we’re diving into a campaign that’s been making waves across KwaZulu-Natal, the KZN Department of Transport’s #NenzaniLaEzweni.It’s a province-wide crackdown targeting reckless driving, illegal trucking operations, unroadworthy vehicles, and drivers operating without proper documentation. Week after week, the RTI teams have been out on the…
2 Dec 8 min