Emerging CAPACITI talent wins 2nd Annual AfriHack Connect Hackathon

The incredible team from CAPACITI who won first place at the 2nd Annual AfriHack Connect Hackathon.

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A team of young candidates from CAPACITI, which positions itself as Africa’s leading talent accelerator, secured first place at the 2nd Annual AfriHack Connect Hackathon. Competing against established institutions such as the University of Johannesburg, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and WeThinkCode, the CAPACITI team demonstrated ingenuity, resilience and the transformative potential of alternative pathways into technology careers.

The three-day hackathon, hosted by Empiras Global Academy in partnership with Telkom, took place at UVU Africa’s Woodstock innovation hub in Cape Town, a space long recognised as a launchpad for innovation and entrepreneurship. Judges praised CAPACITI’s solution for its simplicity, scalability and strong social impact.

This win underscores CAPACITI’s mission of building Africa’s future-ready workforce. For over 15 years, CAPACITI has equipped young people with in-demand digital skills, professional readiness and pathways into employment, proving that talent can come from anywhere with the right support. By combining technical training with a holistic support framework, as well as access to opportunities like AfriHack, CAPACITI enables youth to showcase their skills on national and global stages.

CAPACITI’s team in action, collaborating and coding their way to first place at the 2nd Annual AfriHack Connect Hackathon.

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The candidates’ reflections capture the heart of their achievement, which is rooted in both their personal journeys and professional growth:

• Lifa Mbangata: The first in his family to step into a professional tech environment, Mbangata described how the programme has ignited his passion and built his resilience:

“AfriHack was intense, inspiring and transformative. Winning is more than an achievement; it validates every late night of learning and every challenge we pushed through. It’s a shared success for our team, our families, mentors and communities.”

• Angelique Hilario: Coming from a humble background where her mother worked from the age of 16 to support their family, Hilario shared how resilience has shaped her journey into tech:

“This was my first hackathon, and it pushed me in ways I hadn’t been pushed before. Winning felt like God’s way of showing me I’m on the right path. It opened new opportunities and reaffirmed that persistence and faith take you far.”

• Zakariyyaa Davids: Raised in Mitchell’s Plain, Davids has navigated an environment where opportunities were limited, and negative influences were ever-present. For him, AfriHack was about showing what’s possible:

“Winning AfriHack was one of the biggest milestones of my life. It made me feel unstoppable as part of an incredible team. The support and collaboration were out of this world.”

Reflecting on the achievement, Chesarae Pillay, Head of Partnerships at CAPACITI, noted that the win is more than symbolic:

“This achievement reflects the extraordinary calibre of our candidates. By combining future-fit technical training with professional development, we create well-rounded talent that deliver tangible value to organisations and employers.

"Their win stands as a testament to the power of inclusive tech talent pathways that prioritise holistic development and career acceleration, which CAPACITI proudly champions and makes possible.”

Empiras Global Academy and Telkom, as event organisers and sponsors, were central in creating this platform. Their investment in youth innovation and commitment to building Africa’s digital economy set the stage for CAPACITI candidates to showcase their skills and ultimately shine.