Herotel : The Ultimate Connection

Herotel has grown exponentially, becoming a major player in the telecommunications industry in South Africa. Primarily a fixed-broadband service provider, the company builds, operates, and sells on its own fibre and wireless networks across the nation, as we find out with co-Founder and CEO, Van Zyl Botha.

THE ULTIMATE CONNECTION

Herotel believes that access to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband is a fundamental human right.

The company began its journey in 2013 with the dream of connecting all South Africans to faster, more affordable internet.  

This initial vision was accelerated through a nationwide consolidation of 33 owner-operated businesses, which now all proudly fly the Herotel flag. 

“We united these businesses to help bring meaningful change to an industry that desperately needed a shake-up. Internet connectivity has become an essential service in everyday life – it’s how people make money, school their children, connect with their loved ones, and entertain themselves after a hard day’s work,” introduces Herotel’s co-Founder, Van Zyl Botha.    

“By building world-class fibre and wireless networks, we enable our customers to become the heroes of their communities,” he opens. 

Today, Herotel is the largest fixed wireless internet service provider in South Africa and the third largest player in the local fibre industry, reaching 585,000 premises. The company’s networks connect over 235,000 home and business users to the internet across more than 500 towns, cities, and suburbs throughout South Africa. 

“We are tireless in our endeavour to bring fast, affordable internet to as many South Africans as possible. It empowers the nation’s citizens in both their personal and professional lives, uplifts and develops communities, and is a platform for learning, healthcare, security, business development, entertainment, and almost all aspects of everyday life.” 

Moreover, Herotel believes that internet connections must be accessible to everyone if the country is to unlock its full potential and compete in the global economy.  

Therefore, the company has a crucial role to play in ensuring that broadband reaches everyone, not just the large metros, towns, and cities.  

To achieve this, Herotel has focused its fibre expansion on lower income areas where it has built fibre to 340,000 homes, with the remaining 245,000 in more traditional suburbs and the wireless network extending beyond these towns into more rural areas.

ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY

Committed to community engagement and striving to make a positive impact through various ongoing projects, Herotel regularly undertakes initiatives such as blanket drops and providing necessities for elderly care and children’s homes. It also connects more than 300 schools and community sites to free internet. 

“Our goal is to actively participate in the communities we serve, showing that we are here to stay and not just to provide services and take money,” Botha assures. 

One of these projects is the Ekangala fibre build, which went live in June 2024, initially budgeting for 50 installations per month.  

However, the local community’s response exceeded all expectations, with over 400 installations in the first month – 800 percent more than forecast.  

“To support this high demand, we established a local presence with a container placed in a high-traffic area of Ekangala, surrounded by local shops. We also branded a local spaza shop to serve as a convenient payment point. This project is a testament to the strong demand for connectivity and our commitment to bringing high-speed internet to underserved areas,” he continues. 

Elsewhere, Herotel was proud to be the main sponsor of the iDiski 99 soccer event in Duduza. 

This project was special as it allowed the company to engage directly with the community, supporting local talent and fostering a spirit of unity and sportsmanship.  

“We sponsored the prize money for the event, which provided an exciting incentive for the participants and helped highlight the importance of community sports,” outlines Botha.  

Herotel’s involvement in iDiski 99 goes beyond sponsorship; it’s about giving back to the community and supporting activities that bring people together and promote healthy, active lifestyles. 

Finally, at the Thembisa Mile road race, Herotel stepped in as the timing sponsor and also provided a water point for participants. This event, known for its vibrant atmosphere and enthusiastic participation, offered the company an opportunity to contribute to a well-loved local occasion. 

“By sponsoring the timing, we ensured accurate results for the competitors, enhancing the overall experience of the event. Additionally, our water point provided hydration to the athletes, demonstrating our commitment to our community heart value,” Botha enthuses. 

Herotel’s involvement in Thembisa Mile underscores its undeniable dedication to being more than just a service provider, but an active and engaged member of the community, dedicated to connecting South Africa one mile at a time. 

COMMITTED TO THE CUSTOMER

Herotel believes in placing the customer first, which is why it remains both a direct-access and vertically integrated business.  

Moreover, the business also champions the concept of fibre to the home or business when at a fixed location to complement the use of SIM cards or eSIMs when on the move.  

“Our direct access model, and the fact that we build predominantly aerial networks, mean that we can build our networks at lower costs than traditional trenched networks,” Botha informs us.   

“We’re able to pass these savings on directly to the customer, so our products represent great value for money. It also means that we can build networks in smaller towns and cities that aren’t necessarily viable for traditional operators,” he adds. 

Another significant differentiator is Herotel’s extensive local presence with over 80 offices across South Africa, deeply embedding the company in the communities it serves.  

This footprint allows it to provide personalised and responsive customer support, unlike many competitors who only service areas remotely.  

“Our commitment to being local ensures that our support teams are accessible and understand the unique needs of each community. We then extend this fibre network with a fixed wireless network of 2,000 masts, reaching even more customers in outlying areas.” 

‘Orange is the New Green’ is another mantra Herotel is committed to, and the company is always actively looking for new ways to be environmentally friendly.  

One of the key sustainability advantages of fibre optic technology is its low power consumption, as networks do not require fuel-powered generators to operate during load shedding. Instead, they rely on solar-powered batteries, making them an energy-efficient solution for connectivity. 

“Additionally, we are increasingly using solar power at our wireless masts and at some offices. By harnessing solar energy, we further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and decrease our environmental impact,” Botha elaborates. 

TRUST IN THE CHAIN

Partner and supplier relationships, both internal and external, are crucial to Herotel’s success.   

“When you are operating at scale, it’s vital that you don’t have equipment or skills shortages. Internally, we work with local communities and suppliers in most of the towns where we operate, and we also employ and train local staff across all functional disciplines in the business,” Botha divulges.  

This not only uplifts the community, but ensures that Herotel maintains a skilled pool of valuable employees as close to its customers as possible. 

Externally, trusted suppliers play a pivotal role in the company’s operations, from marketing to network infrastructure.  

“Having strong relationships and a clear understanding with our suppliers is essential. For instance, our marketing efforts are supported by reliable partners who specialise in specific markets and help us reach our target audience effectively,” he clarifies.  

In terms of network infrastructure, Herotel’s suppliers provide the equipment and technology necessary to maintain and expand its fibre and wireless networks.  

Good communication and relationships with suppliers are paramount as it can lead to missed targets and operational delays if, for example, a supplier fails to deliver on time due to poor communication or a lack of understanding.  

Herotel prioritises building and maintaining strong, transparent relationships to ensure smooth operations and the timely delivery of services. 

OPPORTUNITY AND RECOGNITION

Botha is proud to lead an organisation that is committed to the empowerment and recognition of its staff.  

“Our performance is driven by a diverse group of highly competent and experienced leaders and teams. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and collaborative high-performance culture that not only achieves business objectives but also creates opportunities for every employee, leveraging the richness of diverse perspectives,” he tells us proudly.   

“The core values of accountability and integrity, while leveraging a learning mind, improvement attitude, community heart, and pioneering spirit, are not only integral to our   culture but also form the foundation of our commitment to empowering and recognising our employees.” 

Empowerment is at the heart of Herotel’s approach, and the company actively invests in the growth and development of its talent, providing opportunities for career progression and innovative initiatives that bring out the best in its people.  

“Elsewhere, our training and development programmes, particularly through the Herotel Academy, are designed to unlock the potential of our team members. So far, we have awarded more than 9,000 certificates through the academy,” Botha prides. 

Furthermore, Herotel believes in the power of open communication, a testament to which is its latest culture survey, where the company rated highly in several key areas.  

For instance, more than 80 percent of employees rated the brand as compelling and felt empowered to do their jobs effectively.  

By providing employees with the opportunity to voice their opinions, Herotel has gained valuable insights into its strengths and identified opportunities for growth and enhancement.  

This transparent exchange of feedback is essential as it strives for continuous improvement and excellence. 

“Recognition of our staff’s well-being is a priority, as it is crucial that they feel valued, acknowledged, and psychologically secure. “Our Employee Wellness Programme also reflects this belief and has yielded encouraging results.” 

While a formal reward and recognition programme is in the developmental phase, Herotel is actively seeking innovative ways to celebrate team member contributions.   

THE FUTURE FOR HEROTEL

Herotel has spent the last few years rapidly building out its fibre networks.  

The company’s primary focus now is to connect as many customers to these networks as possible, whilst Herotel Business was recently created to focus on the specific needs of business customers. 

“We’re now also looking to bring meaningful digital services to our customers through online healthcare and home automation, including reliable and cost-effective solar energy solutions,” Botha prides.  

“Our goal for the 2025 financial year is optimising our service excellence, and we have identified several must-win battles to achieve this, including intentional leadership, quality service, and improving process flow.” 

In addition to expanding its customer base and service offerings, Herotel is focusing on improving its internal processes and systems, which will undoubtedly help the company to enhance its sales, marketing, and customer experience.  

“Finally, we are excited about the upcoming launch of our new website, which will be complemented by a new customer relationship management (CRM) system developed in-house. This CRM will streamline operations and enhance customer interactions, helping us achieve our goals of quality service and improved workflow,” Botha concludes. 

Once South Africa is connected, Herotel will turn its focus to the continent and connect everyone in Africa.

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