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How a solar-powered Wi-Fi hotspot is quietly transforming a Stellenbosch taxi rank
In a town known more for vineyards and history than tech experiments, something quietly practical is unfolding where thousands of people pass through every day. At a busy taxi rank in Stellenbosch, commuters are logging on, sending messages, checking routes, and getting work done, all without a regular connection to the power grid.
It is the kind of story that feels small at first glance. Then you realise how many lives a taxi rank touches in a single day.
A simple idea with real impact
The project comes from Stellenbosch-based internet service provider LiBConnect Africa, which installed a solar-powered Wi-Fi hotspot at the rank where no electricity supply exists. The system relies on a compact solar setup paired with lithium batteries and a pole-mounted access point. Even during rainy weather, the battery backup is designed to keep the network running.
For people waiting between trips or shifts, that reliability matters. Taxi drivers can check routes and updates. Commuters can message family or confirm work details. Small tasks, repeated hundreds of times daily, start to shift how the space functions.
Industry voices have described the rollout as quietly powerful because it places connectivity exactly where people move, wait, and hustle.
Why a taxi rank matters more than it seems
In many South African towns, taxi ranks double as economic and social centres. They are meeting points, information exchanges, and lifelines for informal trade. Stellenbosch is no different, even though it carries the title of South Africa’s second-oldest town, founded in 1679.
The rank draws people from Cloetesville, Kayamandi, Idas Valley, Pniel, Kylemore, Vlottenburg, Devon Valley, nearby farms, and the main town. It is one of the few places where these communities intersect daily.
That mix is exactly why the hotspot was placed there.
A personal project with local roots
LiBConnect Africa founder Liberty Bwanali started the installation as a gift to the community where he grew up and studied. With no grid power available, the entire setup runs on solar energy and the company’s own lithium battery system. Specialised electronics inside the units manage how power is generated and used so the network stays stable.
To connect the hotspot to the wider internet, the system taps into multiple fibre network providers through infrastructure Bwanali has built around Stellenbosch.
It is a layered approach, but the goal is straightforward. Keep people connected where they already gather.
When communities protect the tech
One of the most telling parts of the story is not the hardware. It is the response from the people using it.
Because the service directly benefits taxi drivers, traders, and commuters, the community helps safeguard the equipment. After nearly two years of piloting, there have been no reported issues related to theft or vandalism. According to those involved, the atmosphere at the rank has improved, and crime in the area is said to have gone down, helping users feel safer.
That shift speaks to something deeper than internet access. When people see clear value, they tend to protect it.
Affordable access that keeps the system running
To introduce the service, users initially received free access. That phase has ended, so the infrastructure can be maintained. Current pricing remains deliberately low, with data bundles starting at R5 for 500MB, valid for two days; R10 for 1GB, valid for three days; and R20 for 5GB, valid for six days. Community feedback has indicated that the pricing is seen as good value.
Beyond the taxi rank, LiBConnect Africa also provides connectivity for homes and businesses, continuing its focus on underserved areas.
A glimpse of what local connectivity could look like
Other providers such as Vumatel and Fibertime have rolled out uncapped broadband in parts of Kayamandi, although those services still depend on electricity. The solar-powered hotspot offers a different model, one that works even where infrastructure gaps remain.
In a country where load shedding and uneven access still shape daily routines, this kind of installation hints at a practical path forward. Not flashy. Not complicated. Just connectivity is placed exactly where it is needed most.
Sometimes progress does not arrive with a headline. Sometimes it arrives as a quiet signal at a taxi rank, keeping an entire community online.
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Source: MyBroadband
Featured Image: Popular Science
