Sixteen products received DISA Design Excellence Awards at a ceremony held in Midrand last month. The awards scheme was presented by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Design Institute. Among the products was the JEMBI, aimed at the telecommunications market.
The JEMBI is a wireless payphone used to provide public telephone services in underserviced areas. The unit has been designed for maximum viewing angle from a tabletop, with a modern hi-tech appearance. The designers are Jan Badenhorst, Marilize Botha and Heidi Thietz.
In his speech, the minister of the Department of Trade and Industry Mandisi Mpahlwa said there are already programmes and interventions that have been put in place by government to address South Africa's design capacity. However, he recognised that much more needs to be done and that there needed to be a greater level of support and involvement from the private sector.
The DISA Design Excellence Awards has been organised by the SABS Design Institute for close on 40 years under different names. Products entered into this flagship awards scheme must be on the market and should have a service record of at least one year. The only other requirement is that it must have been designed in South Africa.
The DISA Design Excellence Award scheme aims to recognise the achievements of South African product designers, while also encouraging local product design and manufacture and promoting international competitiveness of local products. This award scheme has established a proud tradition of promoting indigenous design.
For more information, visit http://www.designinstitute.org.za/.
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