Presented by DEFSA in partnership with the Department of Sports, Arts & Culture, the pilot edition of the What If! Design Competition concluded on 17 September with a virtual award ceremony.

This pioneering competition challenged students to reimagine a sustainable, human-centred future. The submissions were powerful, bold, and deeply rooted in African knowledge systems, while also pushing forward speculative futures.

Winners:

1. Courtney Hodgson – CHECKMATE
2. Karolina Pietak & Johan Janse van Vuuren – MediHerb Device
3. Mxolisi Mahlangu – What If! Ancestral Land was Unveiled? Alkebulan Practices of Human Habitation Ebandleni

Finalists:

Anda Ndyokolo & Jonas Phadziri, Kiara dos Reis, Asamaa Mahomed & Luam Naude, Madison Gordon, Tyesha Billett, Kutlwano Makwela, Mokoena Lenea, Natalie Archary, Lufuno Siminya & Iman Adams, Arielle Marinakis, Adriaan Nel & Janho Jubelius, Yibonge Mdalane & Yasser Ahmed.

Special Mentions for Concept of Idea and Design:

Arielle Marinakis, Natalie Archary, Thando Khumalo, Tyesha Billett

Winning Concept - Checkmate

Imagine a future where online dating is safe by design. Checkmate tackles gender-based violence through technology by proposing a speculative safety plugin that uses government ID verification and automated record checks to prevent known offenders from creating profiles. More than a technical fix, the project challenges platforms and policymakers to prioritise safety and accountability — reframing dating apps as spaces where protection and ethical design come first.

Watch the film HERE.
Watch the explainer HERE.

Mediherb device: What if healthcare could honour indigenous knowledge

Karolina Pietak & Johan Janse Van Vuuren

What if healthcare could honour indigenous knowledge while embracing modern technology? MediHerb envisions a system where native South African medicinal plants are converted into remedies at a central station, then delivered via a wearable pod that monitors and adjusts to users’ needs in real-time. This speculative medical ecosystem integrates traditional wisdom with biotechnology, imagining a future where healing is holistic, personalised, and culturally connected.

What If! Ancestral Land was Unveiled?

Mxolisi Mahlangu – Alkebulan Practices of Human Habitation Ebandleni

Cities often forget their past. This project restores erased indigenous histories through urban design, reimagining Tshwane’s Church Square as a layered intervention informed by AmaNdebele cultural traditions. Three zones emerge — The Sacred (memory and ancestry), The Everyday (flow and interaction), and The Spectacle (expression and civic life). By combining indigenous materials, rituals, and narratives, the project becomes a living archive and a model for decolonised African city-making.