By Stefan Mack for Briefly

The West African Cable System (WACS), an undersea Internet cable which is critical to South Africa’s communications infrastructure, has broken again.

The cable had broken earlier this year and resulted in a notable slowdown in SA’s internet speeds. A break has been reported in the cable, but it is not yet clear where the break is or if the damage is in the underwater part of the cable. The repairs would take longer and be more expensive underwater. If the break is on land it would be significantly easier and cheaper to repair.

The damage to the cable could leave some internet users without access, depending on the Internet Service Provider (ISP). Earlier this year, the same cable was damaged when pressure from a mudflow from the Congo River into the ocean.