South African Engineer Builds Navigation App for Township and Rural Areas in Mzansi

• A South African engineer walked away from a stable job at Mercedes-Benz to pursue a technology idea solving a problem millions face daily
• Many township homes lack formal addresses, which often makes it difficult for ambulances, police officers and delivery drivers to locate households quickly
• The innovation gained global attention and placed a local entrepreneur on the international technology map while focusing on solutions for underserved communities

A South African technologist who once worked on the factory floor servicing luxury vehicles has turned his engineering background into a digital solution to help people navigate townships and rural areas.

Sivuyile Ngcanga developed a navigation app designed to solve a problem that has frustrated emergency responders and delivery drivers.

Ngcanga is the founder of the Sheer Versatility Group. He created the Zula navigation app after leaving Mercedes-Benz SA in 2015. The platform was developed in Mzansi and is aimed at improving service delivery. It will make it easier for ambulances, police officers, couriers and postal workers to find homes that would otherwise be difficult to locate.

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From a technical classroom to the Mercedes-Benz factory floor

Ngcanga’s path into the technology world began in the Eastern Cape. He attended Port Rex Technical High School between 2003 and 2007. During this time, he earned a National Accredited Technical Education Diploma in electrical engineering.

After school, Ngcanga moved into advanced technical training at the Mercedes-Benz Technical Training Centre in East London. Between 2008 and 2011, he gained experience in mechatronics, robotics and automation engineering. He worked in several roles, including operations supervisor at Dunamis General Trading and promoter supervisor for CV Promotions.

According to a report by MyBroadband, Ngcanga later joined Mercedes-Benz as a mechatronics technician supporting the maintenance department. In 2012, he travelled to Sindelfingen in Germany to complete higher level training with Mercedes-Benz.

Leaving a corporate to build a tech company

Ngcanga continued working at Mercedes-Benz South Africa as a technology artisan. Within two years, he was promoted to maintenance coordinator. He then left the automotive giant in 2015 to focus on his own company, the Sheer Versatility Group.

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One of the company’s most notable projects became Zula. The concept behind the app focuses on solving a daily challenge faced by millions of South Africans. In many townships and rural communities, houses are often identified through landmarks or informal descriptions rather than street numbers. That gap can create serious problems during emergencies.

Recognition for building a solution for underserved communities

In 2024, Ngcanga was recognised as a Global Innovator through the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowship programme.

The fellowship supports entrepreneurs developing technology solutions to address social and infrastructure challenges around the world. Zula was recognised for its potential to improve service delivery in communities where traditional mapping systems fall short.

More Mzansi inventions

• Briefly News previously reported that a 23-year-old Durban engineering student created a free civic-tech app that allows residents to report potholes, outages, and leaks on a public map.
• An Afrikaans-speaking man showed off his impressive two-in-one meal invention and how to prepare it.
• A man in Cape Town has showcased the impressive tech features of his budget-friendly Mahindra XUV 3X0, leaving Mzansi stunned by the car's innovation.

Source: Briefly News