By: Tayron Mhlongo – 12 July 2024

On 9 July 2024, the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg buzzed with the energy of business savvy student-preneurs from various top South African universities, all gathered for the prestigious Enactus South Africa National Exposition. Among them stood the passionate team from Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Enactus team, representing their institution with pride.

The Enactus VUT team was supported by Student Life and Governance and the faculty of Management Sciences as they embarked on this reputable journey under the guidance of Mrs. Onica Matsheke, their faculty advisor in entrepreneurship, and Sipho Nkosi, Student Development Practitioner.

The Exposition provided a platform for university teams to compete, showcasing projects evaluated on innovation, sustainability, and community impact. It promoted networking and knowledge exchange among student entrepreneurs, supported by stakeholders like Harmony, MTN, Schneider, Ford, Barloworld, and AIG, with participation from 10 universities.

Enactus VUT team presented their groundbreaking project “Fooddable” aimed at tackling food waste by facilitating the redistribution of surplus food through a tokenized system. This initiative not only demonstrated their commitment to social impact but also showcased their innovation in sustainable business practices. Despite not advancing to the finals, their project “Fooddable” stood out as a semifinalist among other impactful initiatives such as Solace, Klique, Fresh Farm Connect, and the Schneider Project with the University of Western Cape emerging victorious.

For Enactus VUT team, the journey was filled with moments of triumph. In the MTN Digital Challenge, Oratile Tyamzashe excelled in the Health category, Thabang Sereo triumphed in Agriculture, and Nkosinathi Sibanda excelled in Education. Each received R25 000.00 along with a Lenovo laptop, highlighting their dedication and innovation in digital solutions.

Reflecting on their experience, Enactus VUT team President Mulalo Sekata expressed profound gratitude and pride, “As the President of Enactus VUT term 2023-2024, the experience at the Enactus South Africa National Exposition holds profound significance for me. Leading a team that presented innovative solutions to pressing societal issues and having multiple projects recognized among the top digital innovations and sustainability efforts is a testament to our collective dedication, creativity and hard work.” She continued to say, she is immensely proud of the team’s accomplishments at the National Exposition. “We do not stop here. We keep pushing,” she emphasized.

The Enactus VUT team are no strangers to winning; earlier this year they scooped the Best Newcomer Award at the Enactus South Africa’s Summer Action Challenge.

As they look to the future, they carry forward the lessons learned, and the inspiration gained from this experience. They remain steadfast in their mission to create sustainable solutions and empower communities, setting a shining example for future Enactus teams and aspiring change-makers across South Africa.