Geekulcha, organiser of the ITWeb Security Summit Hackathon, will host the second edition of its public lecture this Friday in Durban.
The event is organised in collaboration with ITWeb. It aims to grow SA’s cyber security talent pipeline and strengthen links between academia and industry.
The lecture is part of the build-up to the annual ITWeb Security Summit Hackathon finale, which takes place on the sidelines of the ITWeb Security Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg. The lecture will be held alongside the KZN Tech Horizons Hackathon, an event focused on smart city innovation and emerging technology solutions.
Siphiwe Khuzwayo, founder of KZN Tech Horizons, said the hackathon focuses on practical problem-solving.
“The KZN Tech Horizons Hackathon specifically aims to unlock local innovation by challenging participants to address practical societal and economic challenges through technology," he said.
ITWeb Security Summit 2026
For deeper insights into modern cyber defence strategies, register for ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Cape Town (26 May) or ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Johannesburg (2-4 June). These annual gatherings bring together leading local and international experts to discuss the threats, technologies and strategies shaping the future of cyber security.
“Together, KZN Tech Horizons and SS26Hack represent momentum, opportunity and a shared commitment to growing a sustainable innovation ecosystem where Durban’s talent can compete, innovate and lead on the global stage.”
Tiyani Nghonyama, COO of Geekulcha, said the ITWeb Security Summit Hackathon has evolved into a long-running skills development platform that has directly contributed to employment opportunities in the cyber security sector.
This year’s Durban programme will include a keynote address by Dr James Stanger, chief technology evangelist at CompTIA. He will travel from Washington State in the US to deliver the lecture.
The public lecture comes days before the ITWeb Security Summit Hackathon finale at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 2 and 3 June. At the finale, 25 teams and around 50 participants will compete across three cyber security challenges: secure innovation, blue teaming and red teaming.
Organisers completed the final adjudication process late on Monday night, narrowing the competition from a record-breaking 840 participants.
The initiative has now reached 1 000 people this year, including participants from remote areas and, for the first time, Kenya.
This year’s finalists include 41% female representation. KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape emerged among the strongest represented regions.
Geekulcha said the competition this year has placed greater emphasis on practical, secure application development. This follows concerns that over-reliance on generative AI tools negatively affected the quality of submissions during the previous edition.
“Reliance on GenAI decreased last year's quality to some degree," said Nghonyama. "Thus, this year, we must guard and guide.”
Beyond the technical challenges, Nghonyama believes one of the hackathon’s strongest features is its ability to connect participants with industry mentors and recruiters.
As the programme enters its next phase, Geekulcha said the focus remains on creating long-term development pathways for young technology talent.
“After the hackathon, there are different exit pathways that have been created to support the talent,” said Nghonyama.
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