Youth Tech Expo Empowers West Rand Youth with Digital Skills
Thabo Motlhadi
The Gauteng Department of e-Government, in collaboration with various stakeholders, recently hosted a two-day Youth Tech Expo aimed at empowering young people from the West Rand. The campaign took place at Kagiso 2 Community Hall on Friday, February 06, 2026.
Stakeholders who played a key role in making the event a success include:
* Greycode
* Creators’ Art
* Fund
* Harambee
* NEMISA
* FNB
Kagiso 2 Community Hall was filled with enthusiastic young people eager to learn more about technology and explore opportunities within the digital space. Attendees showed great interest in understanding how modern technology can be used to create economic opportunities and improve their livelihoods.
The main objective of the Youth Tech Expo was to equip and inspire West Rand youth with practical digital skills while connecting them with relevant stakeholders and available opportunities in the industry. In today’s fast-changing technological landscape, it’s vital for young people to be equipped with skills that enable them to keep up with the times. These skills open doors for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic participation. Young people are natural innovators, and with the right platform and support, they can turn their ideas into sustainable economic solutions.
Speaking at the event, Gauteng Department of e-Government Chief of Staff Mr Wiseman Simelane said:
“The Youth Tech Expo is about equipping young people with practical digital skills and connecting them to real opportunities. We want young people to see technology as a tool for economic inclusion, innovation, and job creation. The Expo also provides access to internships, bursaries, and business funding, with partner organisations sharing information on programmes available within their sectors.”
The Expo served as a valuable platform for West Rand youth to learn how advanced technologies can be used to drive economies. Some participants already had existing businesses and saw the Expo as an opportunity to scale and grow through the use of digital tools.
One of the participants from the Kagiso extension 2, Mr. Thato Molefe, shared his experience:
“I have always thought technology was only for people with advanced degrees, but this Expo showed me that there are many entry points. I now understand how I can use digital platforms to start earning an income and even build a business.”
At the conclusion of the programme, participants engaged directly with various stakeholders to gather more information about available programmes, funding, funding opportunities, internships, jobs, and pathways into the digital economy.