Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Honourable Mmapaseka Letsike (centre), also visited CUT’s Disability Unit during her campus tour. Accompanying her are (from left) Dr Choice Makhetha, Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal; Prof. Samson Mashele, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal; Mr Mohau Manyarela, Deputy Director: Disability Unit; and Ms Mpho Mbeo, Administrator in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology.

The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), through its Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (FEBIT) and the Department of Information Technology, welcomed some of the Free State’s brightest young talent for the MICT SETA National Skills Competition. The event brought together students from universities and TVET colleges across the province, alongside beneficiaries and graduates of MICT SETA-supported skills development and internship programmes, to develop innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Financial Technology (FinTech) solutions aimed at addressing challenges affecting rural communities.

Hosted in partnership with MICT SETA and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), and implemented by the Cortex Hub, the competition seeks to empower young people with the skills and confidence to drive innovation and contribute to economic growth.

Held under the theme “Innovating the Heartland: Smart Solutions for Free State Agriculture, Mining and Communities,” the competition challenges participants to develop technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges in key sectors of the provincial economy.

Welcoming participants, CUT acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Samson Mashele, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to fostering innovation and creating opportunities for young people to tackle pressing societal and economic challenges. He emphasised that the initiative goes beyond competition, equipping participants with the skills, confidence and forward-thinking mindset needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving world shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and digital technologies.

“You did not come here to watch the future happen to you; you came here to make it. This competition is about more than winning. It is an opportunity to shape the future through innovation, collaboration and creativity. As technology continues to transform the world of work, you must become creators, innovators and problem-solvers who develop solutions to society’s most pressing challenges,” said Prof. Mashele.

Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Honourable Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, described the competition as an opportunity for young people to use innovation to tackle pressing social and economic challenges. She highlighted that the solutions developed over the 24-hour challenge had the potential to improve lives, strengthen communities and create new opportunities for inclusion.

“Somewhere in this room is an idea that could change how a child learns, how a farmer reaches a market, how a person with a disability accesses a service, or how a survivor finds help. Possibility is already among us.”

Honourable Mmapaseka Letsike interacts with young innovators during her visit to the competition laboratories, where students worked against the clock to develop bold, technology-driven solutions for South Africa’s social and economic challenges.

Reflecting on South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis, she highlighted that the official youth unemployment rate had reached 47.4%, representing nearly five million unemployed young people. She also noted that behind the statistics are young people whose ambitions and potential remained unrealised due to limited access to opportunities. 

"South Africa does not need more job seekers; it needs job creators. We need more young people who are prepared to use their creativity and technological skills to address our social and economic challenges, create opportunities for others, strengthen communities and develop solutions that will contribute to Africa’s growth and development,” said Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Honourable Mmapaseka Letsike.

Throughout the competition, participants worked collaboratively to refine ideas, test concepts and develop practical solutions with the potential to create meaningful impact. As South Africa navigates the opportunities and challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, initiatives such as the MICT SETA National Skills Competition play a vital role in empowering young people to translate innovation into action and turn real-world challenges into opportunities for growth.