WALTER SISULU ALUMNI CLAIM NATIONAL GOVTECH INNOVATION CROWN

Four graduates of iYunivesiti Walter Sisulu have turned their knowledge of information and communication technology into national recognition, securing first place in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Challenge at the GovTech 2026 Hackathon.

The achievement marks a significant milestone for Four Horsemen Technologies (Pty) Ltd, an emerging South African technology company established in 2026 by alumni Mosuli Ntiyane, Zubenathi Lande, Amila Mathebula and Masibulele Madikizela.

The team’s award-winning innovation, Khetha NCAP – Your Career Guidance Companion, On the Go, is a mobile-first digital solution designed to make career guidance and educational information more accessible, particularly to learners in rural and underserved communities.

For the founders, the venture represents an opportunity to translate academic knowledge into practical solutions that address real-world challenges.

“Technology can do more than simplify processes; it can create opportunities, bridge information gaps and contribute to meaningful social change,” said Ntiyane, reflecting on the inspiration behind the company’s establishment.

Coming from the Eastern Cape, the graduates recognised that geographical and socioeconomic circumstances can limit access to information and opportunities. 

Their academic backgrounds in ICT and application development provided the technical foundation to respond to these challenges through innovation.

The team’s success at the national hackathon was driven by its assessment of an existing digital career-guidance resource, which they were tasked with transitioning into a mobile application.

Rather than simply reproducing the website, they identified gaps in how career information was organised and accessed.

"Khetha NCAP combines a mobile-friendly platform with a RIASEC-based career-interest assessment, helping learners explore six interest areas: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional," added Ntiyane. 

The solution also supports English, isiXhosa, isiZulu and Afrikaans, while its offline-first design considers learners who face unreliable or expensive internet connectivity.

Developing the application within the hackathon’s limited timeframe required teamwork, prioritisation and technical problem-solving. 

Ntiyane said the founders used React Native and Expo to develop the mobile application, with Supabase providing backend support.

"We view this recognition as evidence that meaningful innovation can emerge from local challenges and that graduates from the Eastern Cape, and indeed Walter Sisulu, can compete successfully on national platforms," said an enthused Mathebula

Mathebula went on, stating:" Walter Sisulu provided the academic foundation that helped equip our team to approach complex problems, develop technology and compete at a national level."

Two of the entrepreneurs also contribute professionally to their alma mater. 

Lande serves as a Business and Application Development Intern within ICT, while Ntiyane works in the Student Tracking Unit under Institutional Research and Planning.

Looking ahead, Four Horsemen Technologies aims to refine Khetha NCAP, improve the organisation of career information and explore partnerships with schools, educators, career counsellors and government stakeholders to support practical implementation.

By Thando Cezula