Robotics rocks Langa!

Robotics rocks Langa!

4 August 2025

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and the City of Cape Town's Library and Information Services hosted a robotics showcase and competition at the Langa Community Library on Saturday, 2 August 2025.

This event was part of the City of Cape Town's Science Week celebrations and aimed to empower young people, especially girls, through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education.

A group of 20 Grade 12 learners from Langa High School participated in the showcase, having spent the past month developing practical robotics skills under the guidance of Dr Waldon Hendricks, CPUT's Information Technology Lecturer. They used LEGO education kits and coding tools to build and programme their robots.

The learners were grouped into teams and given a robotics challenge: build and programme a robot to complete a specific task. The top-performing team received prizes, including vouchers, and girls in the winning group received additional recognition gifts in honour of Women's Month.

"This partnership between the University and the Municipality shows what is possible when education meets community service," said Dr Hendricks. "We want these learners to see themselves as the next generation of engineers, coders, and innovators."

The event was made possible thanks to funding from the Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) and support from CPUT's faculty of Informatics and Design and the Information Technology Department.