Tembisa West Secondary Innovates the Future with AI Energy System at Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025
Tembisa West Secondary Innovates the Future with AI Energy System at Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025. The spirit of innovation shone brightly at the 2025 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, where Tembisa West Secondary School emerged as national champions. Hosted at the Indaba Hotel and Conference Centre in Johannesburg on 8 October 2025, the initiative, run in partnership with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) and the Department of Basic Education, showcased how South African learners are using STEM to solve real-world challenges.
Following months of dedication and collaboration, Tembisa West Secondary’s team impressed judges with their pioneering AI-powered energy efficiency system, dubbed Green Jarvis. Designed to reduce energy waste in schools, the innovation monitors and manages electricity use through smart sensors, automatically adjusting lighting, air conditioning, and heating to optimise consumption. The project earned the learners a R100,000 prize, which will be used to purchase STEM equipment for their school, further nurturing a culture of innovation.
“Our idea came from observing how much energy was being wasted at school,” said Ntumiseng Mafemo, a Grade 11 learner and team member. “We wanted to build something that could make a difference, especially for schools with limited resources. Green Jarvis could be that change.”
Umlazi Comprehensive Technical High School (KwaZulu-Natal) and Koffiefontein Combined School (Free State) secured second and third place respectively, winning R50,000 and R30,000 for STEM development, alongside Samsung Galaxy smartphones for each finalist.
Samsung’s CSR Manager, Lefa Makgato, described the competition as a platform for South Africa’s next generation of innovators. “Solve for Tomorrow is about empowering young minds to create sustainable solutions that address real challenges. These learners have shown that with the right guidance, innovation can thrive even in resource-constrained environments.”
Dr. Neo Mothobi, Chief Education Specialist at the Department of Basic Education, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the programme’s role in nurturing a new generation of thinkers. “This competition proves the potential of South Africa’s youth in STEM fields. It’s about turning creativity into practical, life-changing ideas.”
From a business and entrepreneurial perspective, the competition offers more than recognition, it fosters early innovation ecosystems where learners think like inventors and problem-solvers. By encouraging design thinking, prototype development, and solution-driven creativity, Samsung’s initiative is laying the groundwork for a generation of entrepreneurs capable of driving South Africa’s digital economy forward.
Tlali Tlali, Head of Corporate Affairs at SITA, underscored the value of such collaborations. “Public-private partnerships are key to developing local solutions for local challenges. Competitions like these ensure that young innovators are equipped to lead South Africa into a more sustainable and technologically advanced future.”
Now in its third year in South Africa, the Solve for Tomorrow programme continues to align with Samsung’s global mission to empower youth through education, innovation, and technology. For Tembisa West Secondary, their triumph is not merely a win, it marks the beginning of a journey that may inspire the next wave of homegrown innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs determined to redefine the nation’s technological landscape.
