If CAT scans and Kreepy Kraulys are all that come to mind when you think of South African innovation, we don’t blame you. Mzansi has always been rich in homegrown talent and excellence, but the true scope of our nation’s victories and unsung heroes is not that well known.
As we prepare to welcome the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to Shyft, let’s celebrate some of our country’s lesser-known triumphs – from cultural pioneers to ground-breaking technological innovations, driven by the ingenuity of our own.
What goes up, must come down (safely)
Following in the footsteps of Mark Shuttleworth, the first African to travel to space, another South African has played a pivotal role in NASA’s missions. Engineer Pele Collins, a former student of St John’s College, designed a parachute system to safely return astronauts and recycle their spacecraft. His work on SpaceX’s Dragon 2 project led to the successful return of NASA astronauts from the International Space Station, further cementing South Africans’ growing presence in the aerospace industry.
From space jets to jalopies…
Before the pleasures (or pocket pains) of modern vehicles and maintenance plans, everyone carried a can of this in their boot or toolbox. The ultimate water-repellent and lubricating solution, Q20 was invented in 1950 in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, to prevent the notorious stalling of VW Beetles in wet weather. While the exact meaning of ‘Q20’ remains a mystery, its inventor claimed it offered 20 solutions to 20 questions.
Did you know: The secret of Q20 lies in its specific gravity of 1.154, allowing it to sink below water (unlike oil, which would float), making it one of the most recognised multipurpose lubricants in the world!
And “from Jozi to Ibiza”
No amount of Q20 can repel this starlet’s Water. At the age of 22, Tyla burst onto the international music scene with her hit song Water. The single earned her her first Billboard Hot 100 hit in the US last year. The track also reached the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, and the UK.
Water also earned Tyla her first Grammy and MTV Video Music Award. But Tyla proved she’s no one-hit wonder, releasing several follow-ups, including Truth or Dare, ART, and JUMP. She is expected to perform all her hits at an upcoming South African tour this festive season.
Speaking of entertainment…
Another feather in Gauteng’s cap belongs to Benoni’s Percy Tucker, who revolutionised the entertainment industry by creating the world’s first computerised ticketing system, Computicket. What began as a solution to save people from travelling long distances to buy tickets has become a global standard.
A breakthrough jab at HIV
At the recent AIDS 2024 conference, ground-breaking news emerged that an injectable drug (administered twice yearly) was found to be 100% effective in preventing HIV transmission. This study was conducted in South Africa and Uganda – two countries still plagued by high HIV infection rates, disproportionately in women.
Known as a capsid inhibitor (in that it interferes with the protein shell that protects HIV’s genetic material and enzymes needed for replication), the drug lenacapavir is administered every six months as a long-acting injection.
The revelation?
None of the women who received lenacapavir during the study contracted HIV, making it 100% efficient. Lead researcher, Professor Linda-Gail Bekker from the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, hailed the study results as “beyond wonderful”, following the presentation of data from the trial.
Bonteheuwel’s golden break
Tasneem Solomons from Bonteheuwel, Cape Town, became the first South African to win the World Eightball Pool Federation Women’s Singles World Masters Champion title this year. Despite limited resources, Tasneem aims to open a pool academy in her hometown to cultivate the next generation of South African pool players.
Fuelling innovation via coal liquefaction
Like many other countries, South Africa has long grappled with the challenge of limited crude oil reserves. But instead of relying only on imports, we turned to innovation. Sasol, established in 1950, was the world’s first – and largest – oil-from-coal refinery, providing almost half of our country’s fuel today. The company has pioneered the conversion of low-grade coal into valuable synfuels and chemicals, securing South Africa’s energy independence and placing us on the map as a global leader in fuel technology.
Did you know: In 1979, Sasol was privatised and listed on the JSE and New York Stock Exchange. Today, it operates in 38 countries worldwide.
Don’t duck! It’s just a speed gun
Cricket fans may not know that the Speed Gun, used globally to measure a bowler’s delivery speed, was developed by Somerset West native Henri Johnson. Launched at The Oval in England during the 1999 Cricket World Cup, the technology has become a staple in international sporting events. Howzat?!
Breathing new life into our 12th official language
Limpopo’s Lucky Netshidzati grew up with deaf parents, which made communication a challenge in his family. Turning adversity into inspiration, he invented the Smart Glove – a device that translates hand gestures into voice, bridging the communication gap between deaf individuals and their loved ones.
Did you know: Last year, South Africa officially became the fourth African country to recognise sign language as an official language, after Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.
From technology to culture, and from sports to space exploration, South Africans have shown time and again that we’re capable of world-class achievements. It’s on us to take this inspiration and invest in the future of our nation’s continued success.
Shyft operates under the licence of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP number 11287).
The views and opinions shared are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to serve as investment advice and do not represent the views or opinions of Standard Bank. This information should be used as a starting point for generating investment ideas, and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for making investment decisions. The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited will not be responsible for the results of any investment decisions made based on the views provided.
