Datacentrix, a South African hybrid ICT systems integrator and digital transformation company, has expanded its education-focused social investment programme through a series of donations aimed at improving digital access and skills development in schools across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The latest initiatives target institutions serving learners with special educational needs, technical and vocational training programmes, and mathematics and science education. The projects include a combination of device donations, infrastructure support and direct funding.
In Mabopane, within Tshwane West, Datacentrix donated 10 notebooks to Bafeti Special School, an intermediate-phase school that supports learners with special educational needs. The devices are intended to support classroom activities and digital learning initiatives.
The company also supplied materials valued at more than R500,000 to the Winnie Madikizela Mandela School in Soweto. The resources will be used either as salon cubicles for the school's hair salon training programme or repurposed for its woodworking courses. Established in 1975, the school serves about 400 learners with intellectual disabilities and provides practical skills training in woodwork, baking, hair salon services, computer skills, and arts and crafts.
Beyond individual schools, Datacentrix has invested in broader educational development programmes. The company provided R500,000 in cash funding and a further R500,000 worth of notebooks to the Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy at St Stithians College. Founded in 2006, the academy works with public school learners and teachers across greater Johannesburg through programmes that include Saturday classes for grades nine to 12, teacher training initiatives and academic scholarships.
The academy focuses on strengthening teaching and learning in mathematics, science, accounting and English, while also supporting educator development and scholarship opportunities for historically disadvantaged learners.
In KwaZulu-Natal, Datacentrix donated 20 notebooks valued at more than R250,000 to Merebank Secondary School in the Umlazi district. The school is one of the few institutions in the region that offers information technology as a subject through Grade 12. The notebooks will support learners' access to digital learning tools and assist the school's efforts to incorporate more technology into classroom instruction.
According to Elizabeth Naidoo, Chief Financial, Risk and Compliance Officer at Datacentrix, the initiatives form part of the company's long-term focus on education and digital inclusion.
“Education and digital access are critical drivers of long-term socio-economic development,” says Elizabeth Naidoo, Chief Financial, Risk and Compliance Officer at Datacentrix. “Through these initiatives, we aim to support institutions that are making a meaningful difference in their communities and contribute to building future-ready skills across South Africa.”
