Connecting Asiaand Africa
SAEx East - a high-capacity subsea data system will connect Singapore and South Africa, creating a strategically diverse digital corridor across the Indian Ocean.
SAEx East Advances Following Positive
ICASA Licensing Decision
SAEx SA (Pty) Ltd, a company related to SAEx International Management Ltd (SIML), has received positive confirmation from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) regarding the issuance of new Individual Electronic Communications Network Services (IECNS) and Individual Electronic Communications Services (IECS) licences, valid for the next 20 years.
The anticipated issuance of these long-term licences marks an important regulatory milestone for SAEx as it advances the development of SAEx East, a planned high-capacity subsea fibre-optic system connecting Singapore and South Africa across the Indian Ocean.
Spanning approximately 11,700 km, SAEx East is designed to establish a strategically diverse digital corridor between Asia and Africa, with primary landing points planned in Singapore, Amanzimtoti and Cape Town.
Co-developed with the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC), SAEx East represents Phase 1 of the envisioned Southern Oceans Network.
Significantly, the Project has been identified by IFISA, the Infrastructure and Implementation Support Agency of the National Treasury, as a mega infrastructure project in the Telecoms Sector, and is considering a conditional investment into the project via BBI.
SAEx welcomes discussions with infrastructure investors, telecommunications carriers, Hyperscalers and strategic partners regarding investment including dedicated fibre pairs via IRUs and long-term capacity opportunities.
A strategically diverse connection between two important digital regions.
A new subsea fibre optic route between Singapore and South Africa.
Cloud services, AI, data centres and digital platforms continue to drive demand for international bandwidth.
A unique route between Asia and Africa, aligning with the need for strategic diversity.
South Africa provides a global hubbing point for both international transit and intra-African data flows.
Invest in SAEx East
Participate in the development of strategic international digital infrastructure.
Co-developed with the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC).
DISCUSS INVESTMENT →Secure Capacity
For carriers, hyperscalers, ISPs, data centre operators and service providers.
THE SAEx EAST STORY
From Singapore to South Africa.
A direct latency efficient data corridor crossing the Indian Ocean and engineered for diversity, avoiding the crowded northern chokepoints.
And Later Heading West
Near-term customers will access African terrestrial networks at Amanzimtoti and existing international subsea systems at Cape Town and Amanzimtoti to provide onward connectivity to Europe and other global markets.
And Next West – The Americas
Phase 2 – SAEx West to the Americas: Planning will begin after CIF on “East” to complete the broader Southern Oceans Network vision.
A Strategic Digital Gateway
Positioning South Africa as a Global Digital Gateway
Facilitating efficient access to regional terrestrial networks.
Facilitating diversity for International Digital Traffic seeking alternatives to the current Geo-political Conflicts affecting West Asia and the Red Sea route.
SAEx East is the First Step.
SAEx East is Phase 1 of the envisioned Southern Oceans Network, planned to connect 4 Continents via a future Phase 2 SAEx West which would extend the Network from Cape Town to the Americas and West Africa.
Rosalind Thomas
SAEx International Management
Rosalind leads the development of SAEx East, working with investors, carriers, governments and infrastructure partners to advance the Project and its commercial opportunities.
Meet SAEx at Submarine Networks World 2026
Meet the SAEx team to discuss investment, fibre pairs, IRUs, capacity, network partnerships, African connectivity and participation in the development of SAEx East.
MARINA BAY SANDS EXPO & CONVENTION CENTRE
SINGAPORE