In a country working tirelessly to bridge deep digital divides and nurture a new generation of tech-savvy leaders, more than thirty South African high school learners will immerse themselves in a two-day Coding & Robotics Hackathon taking place in October at the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct. The hackathon is an outcome of a partnership between Telkom Foundation and the French Embassy in South Africa which aims to empower girls in STEM and entrepreneurship. This event is much more than a competitive showcase. It is a practical response to South Africa’s call for inclusive, skills-based education that empowers youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Learners from Qhubulwazi and Methula Secondary Schools in Mpumalanga, joined by peers from the French School of Johannesburg, team up to create mobile apps, robotics projects, and digital solutions that solve real societal challenges.
The hackathon forms part of the Telkom Foundation’s multi-year drive to expand access to digital skills, coding, and critical thinking for youth in underserved communities. As one of the nation’s largest social investors in digital education, the Foundation’s impact stretches across thousands of learners each year, building academic excellence, career awareness, and essential digital literacy for the jobs of tomorrow.
Working closely with industry mentors, Wits University researchers, and international facilitators, the students rotate through immersive workshops covering internet safety, design thinking, coding, AI, and robotics. These hands-on sessions are complemented by campus tours and opportunities to experiment at Wits’ renowned Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Lab.
“The Hackathon is about more than technology. It’s about building confidence, resilience, and a sense of possibility for young people who are so often left behind by the system,” says Judy Vilakazi, Head of the Telkom Foundation. “As Telkom Foundation, our unwavering commitment to STEM is helping to equip learners with the science, technology, engineering, and maths skills they need to thrive in the future. They’re not just learning to code, they’re learning to lead, invent, and dream bigger than their circumstances.”
Awards honour both participation and excellence: all learners earn certificates, while the top six are presented with digital tablets to accelerate their growth in STEM fields. The process encourages teamwork, creativity, and entrepreneurial drive, qualities South Africa urgently needs for long-term progress.
This event takes place as South Africa faces one of the highest youth unemployment rates globally and strives to transform its education system. Digital skills initiatives like the Telkom Foundation’s Coding & Robotics Programme offer hope for closing the gap between aspiration and opportunity, especially in previously disadvantaged regions.
The hackathon is more than an event: it is part of a sustained, data-driven effort to create real pathways for South African youth into meaningful work, higher education, and digital citizenship. Through partnerships with the French Embassy South Africa, academia and community role-players, the Telkom Foundation continues to redefine what is possible for the nation’s learners and for the future of the country’s tech economy.