University of Johannesburg and Schneider Electric develop the blueprint for sustainable villages in Vhembe district

/ MEDIA STATEMENT / This content is not written by Creamer Media, but is a supplied media statement.

Schneider Electric, the world’s most sustainable company and leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, is proud to form part of the University of Johannesburg’s UJ for Societal Impact project which has over the last 10 years worked tirelessly to bring life-changing services to the village of Gwakwani andwhich has now expanded to Matatani, and Mbodi, all situated in the Vhembe district in Limpopo.

Schneider Electric has - since the project’s inception in 2014 - partnered with UJ to provide essential services such as clean water, affordable energy, connectivity, and access to quality education, directly aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Over the past decade, Schneider Electric and UJ have transformed Gwakwani village by improving access to clean water, renewable energy, and education. A solar-powered borehole supplies water, reducing malaria risks and enabling vegetable farming for income. 

Solar-powered lamps had also replaced paraffin lamps, allowing children to study after dark, while a solar streetlight was installed to enhance safety.

Furthermore, a containerised crèche, equipped with the village's first TV, provides early childhood education, and a solar-powered off-grid bakery has generated jobs and income by supplying bread to neighbouring communities.  Solar cold storage was also introduced to enhance the bakery operations.

“It is essential for the success of these type of collaborations to have a reputable industrial partner such as Schneider Electric. Without industrial support we would not be in the position to make such a substantial social impact as demonstrated through the greater Gwakwani project,” says Professor Johan Meyer, Associate Professor, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Science at UJ.. 

“A collaboration of this kind, one between private industry and academia, has had many advantages, and with the commitment to sustainable solutions, collective knowledge and skill sets, a legacy has been created to be proud of for many years to come – a future re-imagined for Gwakwani and surrounding villages,” says Carina van Zyl, Corporate Citizenship Leader at Schneider Electric.

Timeline of interventions in Gwakwani, Matatani, and Mbodi with support from Schneider Electric on various include: 

• 2014: First solar-powered borehole equipped in Gwakwani
• 2015: Installation of first solar lights in village dwellings in Gwakwani
• 2016: Second solar-powered borehole equipped in Gwakwani
• 2017: Commercial solar-powered bakery established in Gwakwani, creating employment
• 2018: Radio communication link installed for infrastructure monitoring
• 2019: Solar cold storage introduced to enhance bakery operations in Gwakwani.
• 2022: Expanded radio monitoring capabilities and initiated tele-medicine services and a crèche in Matatani
• 2023: Bakery upgraded with hybrid solar solutions and Internet-enabled learner centre established at Hanyani High School
• 2024: Cassava production initiated in Gwakwani and tele-med, solar borehole and creche in Matatani.  Solar borehole and social justice centre educational initiatives expanded at Hanyani High School in Mbodi.