Mauritius and La Reunion are currently experiencing major internet disruptions following damage to an undersea fibre cable that plays a critical role in connecting these islands with the broader global network. The South Africa Far East (SAFE) cable, which facilitates internet connectivity between Mauritius, La Reunion, South Africa, India, and Malaysia, suffered severe damage, leading to widespread service interruptions.
The damage to the SAFE submarine cable has critically affected various sectors, causing a halt in operations at major financial institutions including SBM Bank (Mauritius). On what was anticipated to be a bustling last Friday of the month, the bank reported, “Due to a technical problem with the internet gateway on the SAFE submarine cable, some of our services, including our ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and cards, are currently experiencing a temporary unavailability.”
This incident highlights the vulnerability of critical communications infrastructure in the region. The disruption comes amid multiple damages to other major internet cables off Africa’s west coast and in the Red Sea, exacerbating the connectivity issues.
Efforts to repair the damaged cable are underway, with Mauritius Telecom, based in Port Louis, spearheading the operations. However, the process is complicated by similar repair needs in other regions, such as near the Ivory Coast due to seismic activity, and off the coast of Yemen, affected by geopolitical tensions.
The 13,500-kilometre-long (approximately 8,388.5 miles) SAFE fibre cable is vital not only for internet connectivity but also for the economic stability of Mauritius, an island-nation heavily reliant on financial services and tourism. The outage has prompted a scramble to redirect internet traffic to alternative submarine cables, although this is only a temporary solution.
The repeated incidents of cable damage call for a re-evaluation of the current strategies to protect and maintain these essential pieces of global infrastructure. It is crucial for the consortium of companies managing these cables, including Mauritius Telecom, Vodafone Group Plc, and Orange SA, to investigate the causes thoroughly and enhance the resilience of the network against future disruptions.
The damage to the SAFE cable highlights the delicate nature of global internet infrastructure and the far-reaching effects of its disruptions. As Mauritius and neighbouring regions navigate the complexities of repair and recovery, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for robust and redundant systems to safeguard against similar challenges in the future.
