In an inspiring and candid interview on African Bank Radio on 12 August 2025, Nicholas Thipe – fondly known as “Dr Thipe” – shared the bold vision behind CYNK, a groundbreaking holding company uniting five leading tech enterprises with a combined reach of over 400 000 homes.
With plans to expand across Africa, the group’s mission is clear – bridge the digital divide, empower undeserved communities, and make internet connectivity as essential and accessible as running water.
Thipe traced the journey back to the early 2010s, when fibre connectivity was still a novelty in South Africa.
The launch of Net Nine Nine marked a turning point, particularly during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
GUNNING FOR 2,5 MILLIONS IN 3-YEARS!
While the pandemic grounded the nation, it also exposed the urgent need for reliable, affordable internet, especially in townships and rural communities.
“Internet is no longer a luxury,” said Thipe.
“It’s an essential need. Without connectivity, you can’t work, learn, or even participate in the economy. Township and rural schools would be left way behind. Recently, I as in China where they are now 20G. Kids as small as 10-years can invent amazing things in technology, and it is all thanks to the internet.”
The CYNK umbrella now includes Net Nine Nine (closed access fibre), Evotel (open access fibre), RocketNet (ISP services), Link Layer (KwaZulu-Natal operations), and other specialist units.
Together, these entities aim to connect 2.5 million households in three years.
With a footprint already spanning eight provinces – Gauteng, North West, Northern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, and Eastern Cape, by next year, Thipe plans to establish presence in all nine, and this case, which is Western Province that’s outside of the scope.
LOCAL BUSINESSES’ EMPOWERMENT!
Beyond laying cables, CYNK approach is rooted in empowerment, partnering with local contractors, elevating SMMEs into principal contractors, and opens regional offices to stimulate local economies where hordes of youth is employed to reduce the ballooning rate of unemployment in South Africa.
Thipe highlighted a success story from Kagiso, Krugersdorp where an artist gained international exposure, and sold work to Switzerland – thanks to new connectivity and Net Nine Nine.
“Value, not price, is our focus,” Thipe explained.
“It’s about making internet that’s powerful, reliable, and worth every cent, whether you’re running a business, streaming your favourite shows, or connecting with family abroad. Community schools have benefitted from CYNK partners with over 200 connected with free 1Gig internet, as part of our efforts to empowering townships schools and improve learning.”
With ambitions stretching from parliament in Cape Town to villages across the continent, Thipe believes CYNK’s integrated model will not only capture market share but also redefine how South Africans experience the digital world.
