Wits student app plots pothole fix

Dodging potholes has become a familiar part of driving in South Africa, but getting them fixed is another matter. A new app aims to help residents report neighbourhood problems, pool funds for repairs and connect with verified local workers to carry out the work.

Blockfix was developed for this year’s Wits University/AdaptIT Social Good Hackathon, where it took first place. The app was created by students Ndivho Shilling, Alton Maseko and Paballo Bopape, who competed as Team Buff Bytes.

The app is designed to let users report problems by providing a location, description and photographs or video. Residents would also be able to view reported issues in their area and contribute money towards repairs.

“Having the opportunity to be part of the core team creating something that could make a meaningful difference is very rewarding,” says Maseko.

The platform is designed to connect community-funded projects with registered workers who can submit their qualifications and apply for available jobs. The system would match tasks with suitably skilled workers, with proof of qualifications required for specialised work. Once a job is completed, workers would upload photographs of the results for review by residents who contributed to the cost.

The system includes tools for administrators to review worker registrations, monitor reported issues, view heat maps of affected areas and export data for potential use by municipalities.

Neighbourhood repairs were not the only problems tackled at the hackathon. Six teams from Wits University’s School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics presented projects on 2 October, including tools aimed at addressing water losses and improving patient care.

Second place went to Team Ketnip, comprising Shawal Kassim, Brendan Griffiths, Viasha Morgan and Fakir Zaeem. The students developed a tool designed to help Johannesburg prioritise water repairs within limited budgets. Using fault reports from My Smart City, the system identifies which leaks and other problems should be addressed first.

The team said the tool could help reduce water losses, citing figures indicating that about 47% of treated water is lost. The same approach could also be applied to other service-delivery problems, including potholes and electricity faults.

Third place went to Team Code // Bear, comprising Neliswa Jones, Marvellous Sambo, Njabulo Ndlozi and Njabulo Khuzwayo. The team developed Mira, an app designed to help patients stay connected with healthcare providers between clinic visits. Patients can record symptoms, medication use and wound images, allowing doctors to monitor their recovery remotely and follow up when needed.

Mira also supports SMS, USSD and community health workers to accommodate patients without smartphones or reliable internet access. According to the team, the platform could help reduce pressure on clinics while giving doctors more information about patients’ recovery between visits.

The seventh annual hackathon brought together more than 300 Wits students, alongside industry leaders, corporate partners and social impact stakeholders. Students from different schools and faculties participated in the event, which focused on industry networking, collaboration between sectors and public participation.

Ndamu Gumane, Wits Social Good Hackathon director and Adapt IT head of research and development, says: “South Africa’s challenges cannot be solved by government alone. We have to play our part, and this year’s Hackathon showed what can happen over a weekend when young people, industry and society come together to build solutions. It was one of our strongest Hackathons yet. The ideas were more mature, practical and commercially sound, with a stronger connection between students, industry and the real challenges facing South Africa. The quality of the final solutions showed what is possible when all these different sectors collaborate and use technologies and tools such as AI to solve real-world problems.”

This year’s hackathon also received support from the Springboks, represented by Dr Khaya Mayedwa, senior manager of government and stakeholder relations at the South African Rugby Union.

He says: “We want young South Africans to see the Springboks and understand that it is possible when discipline, diversity, teamwork, resilience, and excellence come together, and that’s what we want to show the young people. Innovation is not simply about creating the future. It’s about deciding who gets the possibility in the future. Therefore, dream beyond yourself, solve real problems, and that’s what we are doing here.”

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.