Fairvest Limited has announced further details regarding its R486 million investment in Onepath Investments, an owner of digital infrastructure assets. The Company says it intends to utilise its investment to enhance its traditional retail assets synergistically.

CEO of Fairvest Limited, Darren Wilder, says that globally, the returns from digital assets underpin some of the best performing REITs, benefiting from growing structural demand that is not tied to economic cycles. “In addition to attractive direct returns, Fairvest’s investment provides us with opportunities to enhance the lives of communities surrounding our retail centres, opens up new areas for expansion, and allows us to engage more deeply with communities, collect data, improve our marketing efforts, and drive foot traffic to our centres,” he adds.

Fairvest’s investment in Onepath Investments has funded the acquisition of fibre and related infrastructure leased to fibertime™, a proven fibre network operator and internet service provider, catering specifically to SA’s township market. fibertime™’s pay-as-you-go model offers fast fibre internet (uncapped 100Mbps) for only R5 per device per 24 hours and includes free equipment and installation. Through this investment, Fairvest, through OPI, has enabled fibertime™ to provide fast, uncapped pay-as-you-go internet connectivity to lower LSM customers and communities, helping to unlock the untapped potential of the township fibre market. fibertime™ aims to reduce costs, enabling more people to access the internet, and in the process, help entrepreneurs build large businesses that can create job opportunities for thousands of young people in townships. In the last three years, fibertime™ has successfully rolled out affordable fibre to more than 200 000 homes in townships and low-income areas nationwide

“The investment aligns closely with Fairvest’s core retail strategy and target market of serving low-income, high-density communities in under-serviced areas. Serving communities with cost-effective digital access and data solutions is transformative in improving educational and employment outcomes, fostering entrepreneurship, creating business opportunities, and reducing income inequality. As these communities do better, it also enhances Fairvest’s core retail market,” concludes Wilder.