The University of Johannesburg (UJ), in collaboration with the Melville Koppies Management Committee, is preparing to launch an augmented reality (AR) heritage project at the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve and Heritage Site.
According to a statement, the official unveiling is scheduled for Friday, 1 May, Workers’ Day, a date selected to honour the country's labour movement, celebrate workers’ rights, and pay tribute to the vital role trade unions played in the fight against apartheid.
The day also commemorates the communal industry of the pre-colonial ancestors of today’s Sesotho- and Setswana-speaking people.
For decades, Melville Koppies, one of Johannesburg City Parks’ nature reserves, has functioned as a living classroom for students and learners, including those from UJ.
The new initiative introduces a digital layer to that learning environment, positioning it as a high-tech educational experience that connects heritage with innovation.
Central to the project is a 500-year-old Batswana smelter, which serves as a focal point for recognising indigenous labour and technological capability long before industrial modernity.
Bringing history to life
The AR initiative is led by Dr Izak Potgieter and Dr Herman Myburgh from UJ’s Metaverse Research Unit.
It enables visitors to use their smartphones to view a 3D reconstruction of the ancient smelter, digitally overlaid onto the existing archaeological remains.
New interpretive signage will also be installed on site to complement the AR experience, says UJ.
"The site offers a rare opportunity to represent pre-colonial African technological knowledge in situ," says Potgieter.
"Through animation and narration, history is no longer just something you read about; it is animated and brought to life, highlighting indigenous expertise and environmental stewardship."
The project reflects a broader institutional commitment from UJ to the site, it says. The Department of History is also involved, while staff from the Language Unit contributed voice-over work for the experience.
By combining archaeological and ethnographic evidence, the university says it aims to set a benchmark for digital storytelling approaches that preserve cultural memory without disrupting protected conservation environments.
“Through this project, the University of Johannesburg and its partners aim to establish a precedent for immersive heritage interpretation in South Africa, demonstrating how digital technologies can deepen public understanding, enhance heritage conservation and foster meaningful engagement between communities, scholars and visitors,” adds Potgieter.
The Melville Koppies AR experience is expected to preserve and celebrate the legacy of the Batswana settlement, while also supporting future projects that integrate cultural heritage, academic research and immersive digital storytelling.
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