TUT students engage in tech solutions at Telkom FutureMakers Hackathon in Limpopo

By: Nosipho Mnyandu


TUT students form part of the Telkom FutureMakers hackathon

A surge of innovation took over Syferkuil Country Lodge in Mankweng as young developers from across Limpopo gathered for the Telkom FutureMakers Hackathon, held on 13 and 14 September. The two-day event formed part of Telkom’s national hackathon series. A programme designed to spark innovation and entrepreneurship as the Telkom FutureMakers initiative celebrates its tenth anniversary. In collaboration with Telkom Learn and the Telkom Centres of Excellence, the hackathon series invited South Africa’s brightest young minds to develop digital solutions aligned with Telkom’s value propositions. The Limpopo edition challenged participants to create “Solutions for Enhanced Customer Experience”. Developers had the responsibility of producing practical prototypes that addressed real-world issues through applications, websites, the Internet of Things (IoT), or data visualisation dashboards.


A tutor giving instructions to the hackers on coding and assessing

Representing the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Polokwane Campus were students from the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Letago Kekana, Dylan Ndlovu, Madimetja Kgobe, Asisipho Mjojeli, Kesaobaka Lekaote, Matome Tjale, and Ndima Mhangwani as well as Cynthia Tema from the Faculty of Management Sciences. “This experience was really about testing our understanding, team productivity, and being quantitative," said ICT student Madimetja Kgobe. “The experience taught us that coding is more than just a system, the bigger part of it lies in the research conducted. Research is everything.” Day one began with an orientation session, setting the tone for an intense weekend of ideation and coding. Teams dived into research, defined problem statements, and explored potential approaches. Mentors moved from team to team, offering guidance and helping participants refine their ideas.

Ndima Mhangweni, TUT ICT hacker

By day two, the competition’s energy had intensified. Teams finalised their prototypes, uploaded their work to the Sonke Platform, and prepared for their final presentations. The judging panel evaluated each solution based on creativity, functionality, and potential impact. Between presentations, short interactive quizzes kept spirits high with small prizes for participants who answered correctly. As the hackathon drew to a close, the judges shared their feedback and announced the top three winners. The Bis Brainiacs claimed first place with their innovative soil detector application, designed to analyse soil type and composition to assist farmers and agricultural researchers. The atmosphere turned celebratory as participants reflected on what they had achieved in just 48 hours. “This was a learning experience for me,” shared Cynthia. “Hackathons are more than just about technology. I hope to see students from other faculties also participate in the upcoming one.”

The Limpopo segment of the Telkom FutureMakers Hackathon concluded not only with winners but with a renewed sense of purpose. For many participants, the experience sparked a deeper commitment to innovation and research.

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