Gwakwani: How UJ Turned a Limpopo Village Into SA’s First Smart Village

• Gwakwani in Limpopo had no electricity, clean water, or internet access for years before the University of Johannesburg stepped in
• The UJ Gwakwani Village Project brought solar power, free Wi-Fi, IoT monitoring, and a solar-powered bakery and crèche to the rural village
• A man born and raised in Gwakwani played a key role in making the project happen and now works as a lab assistant at UJ

A small village in Limpopo that once had no electricity, no running water, and no internet connection has been quietly transformed into South Africa’s first smart village, all thanks to a university engineering project that began over a decade ago.

Gwakwani, a remote settlement in northern Limpopo with between 70 and 100 residents, was severely cut off from basic infrastructure for many years. Families depended on paraffin lamps after dark. A diesel-powered pump drew water from a local borehole, but fuel shortages meant clean water was never guaranteed. Children walked roughly 6km to reach the nearest primary school, while a trip to high school and back covered 38km. Without electricity, doing homework after sunset was nearly impossible.

Read also

SA woman living in the USA lists 6 American culture shocks that left her stunned

How UJ changed everything

In 2013, the University of Johannesburg launched the UJ Gwakwani Village Project, driven by electrical and electronic engineering students and led by Professor Johan Meyer, Head of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Working alongside the village chief and local council, the team introduced a series of changes that fundamentally altered life in the village.

Diesel borehole pumps were replaced with solar-powered alternatives. Solar street lights and home lighting systems were installed, giving learners the chance to study at night for the first time. Solar microgrids now power communal facilities, and a solar-powered bakery was built, creating full-time employment for a small number of villagers. A solar-powered crèche and large cold storage units were also established.

According to a report by MyBroadband, the village’s infrastructure is monitored remotely by the UJ team using Internet of Things sensors, built in partnership with global low-power network provider Sigfox. Residents are connected to the internet via satellite, bringing access to information, education, and employment opportunities that were previously out of reach.

Read also

60 Limpopo entrepreneurs to join aweap energy master class at University of Limpopo

A media centre at Hanyani Secondary School, equipped with computers, internet access, and solar lighting, has further expanded connectivity. Altogether, more than 250 village and neighbouring residents, as well as 470 students and staff at the school, now have internet access.

The man who started it all

In October 2024, UJ recognised Godfrey Nefolovhodwe as Gwakwani’s local hero. A Gwakwani native, Nefolovhodwe made contact with the university’s outreach team in 2013 and shared his firsthand account of village life, including the punishing school commutes. That conversation planted the seed for the entire project.

He went on to study electronics and technical maintenance at UJ for two years, followed by two more years of technical training back in Gwakwani. He now works as a lab assistant in UJ’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

More articles involving UJ

• Vuyo Kamati completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Education at the University of Johannesburg.
• African Women in Energy and Power partnered with the University of Limpopo to run a three-day energy entrepreneur programme.
• A TikTok video showed a hardworking young man at the University of Johannesburg running a side hustle.

Source: Briefly News