MICT SETA

As we reflect on an extraordinary three days at the and Expo, we take a moment to revisit where it all began; the opening address by our CEO, Mr. Matome Madibana.

Mr. Madibana set the tone from the very start, unpacking the vision behind the Symposium and reinforcing the critical role of collaboration, innovation, and future-focused thinking in shaping South Africa's digital future.

He challenged us to move research beyond theory - evolving ideas into practical, scalable solutions that drive real social and economic impact. With ICT as a catalyst for transformation across sectors including agriculture, mining, and food security, his message was anchored in building a more connected, inclusive, and innovation-led nation.

He also spoke directly to the importance of youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and bridging the digital divide through localised solutions built for African realities.

The charge was clear: a future-ready South Africa will be built through collective action, bold innovation, and partnerships that turn ideas into lasting impact.

To every delegate, speaker, Research Chair, student, and partner who showed up and contributed - thank you.

The energy you brought to CPUT Bellville Campus made this event truly memorable. 🙏🏾

See you Soon!

The MICT SETA currently has 3x open vacancies:
✅Administrator: Learning Programmes

Interested applicants are invited to apply by clicking on the link in the job description.

Closing date: 09 June 2026

Visit: http://bit.ly/47tuNee to download the full job description.

The cybersecurity skills conversation is happening - and MICT SETA is in the room.
Our CEO, Mr. Matome Madibana, joins fellow industry leaders at the to discuss the future of cybersecurity talent, AI education, and the cross-sector partnerships needed to close critical skills gaps in South Africa's digital economy.

Building a future-ready workforce demands curiosity, creativity, agility, and practical experience. Most importantly, it demands collaboration.

Day 3 of the and Expo continued to spotlight the power of research, innovation, and collaboration.
Student innovations remained a key highlight, with projects addressing real-world challenges through emerging technologies.

✅Youth Media Movement demonstrated drone solutions for emergency victim localisation, while ✅Grey-Code showcased its IoT, robotics, and automation platform for education and smart learning.

✅mLab also presented initiatives driving community development and rural inclusion through IoT, coding programmes, hackathons, and smart housing innovations.

Collectively, these innovations underpin; the future must be inclusive, accessible, and driven by technology that creates opportunity for all.

As we drew closer to the official close of the , Day 3 featured yet a pivotal panel discussion titled “Financing Innovation: Funding, Incubation and Scaling 4IR Start-Ups.”

The session focused on the economic engine of the innovation ecosystem, bringing together capital allocators, national development agencies, and corporate innovation leaders to explore how funding pipelines and support structures can better enable South African tech entrepreneurs.

Speakers emphasised the importance of blending financial investment with technical and in-kind support, while also addressing South Africa’s growing need for skills financing, apprenticeships, and work-integrated learning (WIL) programmes to strengthen the digital economy and support SMME growth.

The session reinforced a clear message: a thriving 4IR ecosystem depends on aligned funding, skills development, and collaborative partnerships that enable innovation to scale meaningfully.

The final leg of the and Expo opened with an engaging panel discussion that unpacked the growing role of emerging technologies and the exploration of highly specialised sectors including space technologies, data centres, AI, and digital systems - driving innovation and economic development.

The session highlighted the importance of aligning South Africa's skills development agenda with the physical and digital infrastructure shaping the global economy in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.

The message that emerged was clear: building a competitive and inclusive digital economy required intentional collaboration between industry, academia, and government - to ensure no one was left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

The and Expo Day2 also marks the introduction of new 4IR Research Chairs, further expanding South Africa’s national innovation ecosystem and reinforcing the commitment to future-focused research, industry collaboration, and scalable African solutions.

Chaired by Dr Tshepang Mosiea, Board Member of MICT SETA, the session welcomed institutions including Nelson Mandela University, the University of South Africa (UNISA), Sol Plaatje University, and Eduvos into this impactful national programme.

The newly appointed Research Chairs expressed enthusiasm about contributing to a platform focused on advancing research, driving innovation, and creating greater opportunities for commercialisation and societal impact - reflecting a shared commitment to building research ecosystems that are innovative, impactful, collaborative, and future-ready.

Day2 concluded with a significant milestone as the MICT SETA, and its partner CollectiveX formalised their shared commitment to advancing 4IR research through an MoU Signing Ceremony.
This memorandum of understanding (MoU) marked more than a ceremonial close, it represented a shared investment and commitment to accelerate the commercialisation of 4IR research.

As we enter the final day of the symposium, the focus remains clear: turning research, innovation, and collaboration into meaningful impact for South Africa’s digital future.

One of the standout moments from Day2 was the inspiring student innovation showcase by Botshelo Nare of Phumelela Consulting. Through the IoT Programme, Botshelo developed ‘Emergency Life Rescue’ - an innovative cloud-connected emergency locator system designed to assist during fire-related emergencies.

The solution uses multiple sensors to detect extreme heat exceeding 100°C, identify human skin temperature, and activate LED signaling to help locate survivors in dangerous environments.

What makes the innovation especially impactful is its use of multiple sensors to reduce false alarms while improving the accuracy of survivor detection.

Designed with accessibility and community safety at its core, the project demonstrates how youth-led innovation and emerging technologies can create practical solutions with real social impact.

One of the standout moments from Day2 was the inspiring student innovation showcase by Botshelo Nare of Phumelela Consulting. Through the IoT Programme, Botshelo developed ‘Emergency Life Rescue’ - an innovative cloud-connected emergency locator system designed to assist during fire-related emergencies.

The solution uses multiple sensors to detect extreme heat exceeding 100°C, identify human skin temperature, and activate LED signaling to help locate survivors in dangerous environments.

What makes the innovation especially impactful is its use of multiple sensors to reduce false alarms while improving the accuracy of survivor detection.

Designed with accessibility and community safety at its core, the project demonstrates how youth-led innovation and emerging technologies can create practical solutions with real social impact.