Nhlapo's career includes YFM and BBC London, and he presented, co-produced and narrated the BBC's This Is Amapiano, which passed one million views. His reasoning for the move is straightforward. "I have spent most of my career helping people discover information through broadcasting," he says. "Zwaapp Konnect is about… making sure people have reliable, quality connectivity to actually access that information."

He argues that South Africa's digital divide is no longer only about whether people can get online. It is about where quality connectivity is available, how accessible it is, and whether communities can take part in the digital economy.

How it works

Through its partnership with Vodacom Fibre, Zwaapp Konnect pairs Vodacom's established infrastructure with its own community-first approach to customer acquisition, engagement and support. The company is building a technology-enabled model that uses digital channels, WhatsApp, community networks and an emerging Ambassador Network to make fibre easier for township customers to find, understand and sign up for.

The longer-term goal goes beyond being another internet service provider. Zwaapp Konnect aims to become a data-driven customer acquisition and CRM platform for underserved markets, with ambitions to expand across South Africa and into other African markets.

"In many ways, Zwaapp Konnect is an extension of everything I've done before," says Nhlapo, "just at a different layer."

More: www.zwaappkonnect.co.za | WhatsApp 076 015 6671 | Instagram @zwaappkonnect