{"id":316828,"date":"2026-04-17T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/?p=316828"},"modified":"2026-04-17T11:13:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T09:13:52","slug":"uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/","title":{"rendered":"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Two University of the Western Cape (UWC) alumni and innovators are taking their homegrown tech invention to the world stage after their public transport solution, Uthutho, won the 2026 Red Bull Basement South Africa national title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-innovation-lab\">Innovation Lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Software developers Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola, both alumni of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afrilabs.com\/hub\/uwc-future-innovation-lab\/\">UWC Future Innovation Lab<\/a> in 2023 and 2025 respectively, are set to jet off to Silicon Valley in the US in June, where they will showcase the app alongside other top young innovators from around the world. The Red Bull Basement 2026 World Final is scheduled to take place in San Francisco and Silicon Valley from 1 to 3 June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developed late last year, Uthutho was born out of a need to make the country\u2019s public transport system easier and more reliable to use. Inspired by the frustrations around unclear taxi routes, uncertain fares and lack of real-time travel information, the duo ,drawing on the experiences of public transport commuters, set out to create a digital platform that helps commuters better navigate public transport, especially when travelling unfamiliar routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using AI tools such as GPS and cloud technology, the transport app offers live journey updates and community-verified transport information to reduce waiting times and improve the safety of public transport. School transport operators can also use the platform by signing up and listing their routes, vehicles and pricing. This allows parents to browse available school transport options and apply directly to join operators\u2019 transport systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe wanted to build something that could make commuting more predictable and accessible, especially for young people and those travelling unfamiliar routes,\u201d said Less, who is currently a software developer at the University of Cape Town (UCT). &#8220;Being announced as the winning team in SA was both emotional and unforgettable for the pair, who described the moment as a \u201csurreal mix of excitement, disbelief and pride.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt felt like a turning point where something we\u2019ve been building with intention and persistence was finally recognised on a national stage. It represents validation of a problem we\u2019ve experienced firsthand as public transport commuters in South Africa,\u201d said Mangxola, who works as a software developer for the Shoprite Group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-problem-solving\">Problem solving<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Acknowledging the role that the Future Innovation Lab played in their journey, the pair said the environment exposed them to \u201cpractical, problem-solving approaches to technology\u201d and pushed them to think beyond theory and focus on real-world impact. They believe that the next stage of the competition will offer significant value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Winning in the final competition would not only secure international mentorship for the duo and give them access to AI tools, but they would also stand a chance to secure funding that could help refine and expand Uthutho beyond SA. They said it is an opportunity to represent South Africa and highlight the importance of solutions built for emerging markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>READ ALSO: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/campus-shuttle-a-golf-cart-the-first-to-run-on-renewable-energy\/\">Campus golf cart shuttle, the first to run on renewable energy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UWC alumni will showcase transport app Uthutho in Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA with their AI-powered commuter solution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":316836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"66","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"30","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"3","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"1","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"","article_feature_type":"","article_main_image_caption":"","article_media_icon":"","article_template":"","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"Brenden Ruiter","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"UCT alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"Apr15_brapp","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[10011,7909,8850],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-316828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-innovation-lab","tag-recommended","tag-uwc"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage | TygerBurger<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"UWC alumni Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola will take their transport app Uthutho to Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"UWC alumni Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola will take their transport app Uthutho to Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TygerBurger\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TygerBurger\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-17T07:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-17T09:13:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"TygerBurger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@tygerburger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@tygerburger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"TygerBurger\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"TygerBurger\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0f71e348ba4b9942416d90370345e952\"},\"headline\":\"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-17T07:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-17T09:13:52+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":493,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/innovation.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Innovation Lab\",\"Recommended\",\"UWC\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/\",\"name\":\"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage | TygerBurger\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/innovation.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-17T07:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-17T09:13:52+00:00\",\"description\":\"UWC alumni Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola will take their transport app Uthutho to Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/innovation.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/innovation.jpg\",\"width\":1440,\"height\":1920,\"caption\":\"Makhi Mangxola and Shaqeel Less after they were announced as 2026 Red Bull Basement South Africa champs. They will be jetting off to the US to take part in the final leg of the 2026 Red Bull Basement competition in June.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/\",\"name\":\"TygerBurger\",\"description\":\"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"TygerBurger\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/tyger-burger-site-icon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/tyger-burger-site-icon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"TygerBurger\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/TygerBurger\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/tygerburger\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/tygerburger\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@TygerBurger-SA\"],\"description\":\"Tygerburger has been a staple in the northern suburbs of Cape Town for many years, providing readers with timely and relevant local news. TygerBurger is a free weekly community newspaper distributed in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, serving areas including Bellville, Durbanville, Parow, Kuils River, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein, Goodwood, Milnerton, Table View, Tyger Valley, De Grendel, Mitchells Plain, Eerste River, Elsies River, and Ravensmead.\",\"email\":\"tygerburger@novusmedia.co.za\",\"telephone\":\"+27219106500\",\"legalName\":\"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd\",\"foundingDate\":\"2025-01-01\",\"vatID\":\"4100318916\",\"taxID\":\"2000\\\/018234\\\/07\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0f71e348ba4b9942416d90370345e952\",\"name\":\"TygerBurger\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ae2ee35b60e108b154991fcbdb6e9114c9fa89c1b3386c09fa6f9b73c43dd5af?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ae2ee35b60e108b154991fcbdb6e9114c9fa89c1b3386c09fa6f9b73c43dd5af?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ae2ee35b60e108b154991fcbdb6e9114c9fa89c1b3386c09fa6f9b73c43dd5af?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"TygerBurger\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/tygerburger\\\/author\\\/tygerburger\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage | TygerBurger","description":"UWC alumni Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola will take their transport app Uthutho to Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage","og_description":"UWC alumni Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola will take their transport app Uthutho to Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA.","og_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/","og_site_name":"TygerBurger","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TygerBurger\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-17T07:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-17T09:13:52+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1440,"height":1920,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"TygerBurger","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@tygerburger","twitter_site":"@tygerburger","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"TygerBurger","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/"},"author":{"name":"TygerBurger","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#\/schema\/person\/0f71e348ba4b9942416d90370345e952"},"headline":"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage","datePublished":"2026-04-17T07:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-17T09:13:52+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/"},"wordCount":493,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg","keywords":["Innovation Lab","Recommended","UWC"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/","name":"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage | TygerBurger","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-17T07:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-17T09:13:52+00:00","description":"UWC alumni Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola will take their transport app Uthutho to Silicon Valley after winning Red Bull Basement SA.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg","width":1440,"height":1920,"caption":"Makhi Mangxola and Shaqeel Less after they were announced as 2026 Red Bull Basement South Africa champs. They will be jetting off to the US to take part in the final leg of the 2026 Red Bull Basement competition in June."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uct-alumni-takes-their-homegrown-tech-invention-to-the-global-stage\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"UWC alumni takes their homegrown tech invention to the global stage"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/","name":"TygerBurger","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#organization","name":"TygerBurger","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tyger-burger-site-icon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tyger-burger-site-icon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"TygerBurger"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TygerBurger\/","https:\/\/x.com\/tygerburger","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tygerburger\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TygerBurger-SA"],"description":"Tygerburger has been a staple in the northern suburbs of Cape Town for many years, providing readers with timely and relevant local news. TygerBurger is a free weekly community newspaper distributed in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, serving areas including Bellville, Durbanville, Parow, Kuils River, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein, Goodwood, Milnerton, Table View, Tyger Valley, De Grendel, Mitchells Plain, Eerste River, Elsies River, and Ravensmead.","email":"tygerburger@novusmedia.co.za","telephone":"+27219106500","legalName":"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd","foundingDate":"2025-01-01","vatID":"4100318916","taxID":"2000\/018234\/07","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/#\/schema\/person\/0f71e348ba4b9942416d90370345e952","name":"TygerBurger","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ae2ee35b60e108b154991fcbdb6e9114c9fa89c1b3386c09fa6f9b73c43dd5af?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ae2ee35b60e108b154991fcbdb6e9114c9fa89c1b3386c09fa6f9b73c43dd5af?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ae2ee35b60e108b154991fcbdb6e9114c9fa89c1b3386c09fa6f9b73c43dd5af?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"TygerBurger"},"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/author\/tygerburger\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/innovation.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":320498,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/student-finds-digital-solution-to-improve-sports-facility-management\/","url_meta":{"origin":316828,"position":0},"title":"Student  finds digital solution to improve sports facility management","author":"TygerBurger","date":"15 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"UWC student-athlete Dateh Ambe developed a digital platform and website to modernise sports bookings, administration and communication.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dateh Ambe, a UWC student, designed the UWC Sport website, which launched on 08 May 2026.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ambe-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ambe-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ambe-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ambe-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ambe-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ambe-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":322662,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/uwc-reaches-milestone-with-30-sarchi-chairs\/","url_meta":{"origin":316828,"position":1},"title":"UWC reaches milestone with 30 SARChI Chairs","author":"TygerBurger","date":"2 June 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The University of the Western Cape has achieved 30 SARChI Chairs, reinforcing its position as a leader in research and innovation.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour. Photo: UWC\/Jeffrey Abrahams","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SARChI-JTA_3489_86276.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SARChI-JTA_3489_86276.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SARChI-JTA_3489_86276.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SARChI-JTA_3489_86276.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SARChI-JTA_3489_86276.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"TygerBurger","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316828"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=316828"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=316828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}