By: Lonwabo Mtyeku | Photo Credit: Supplied
Seen Here: From the left: Collin Govender, Altron Group COO, Leona Pienaar, MES CEO, Marisa Jansen van Vuuren, Altorn Group CMO, Innocent Mabusela, Jozi My Jozi CEO, Warren Mande, incoming Netstar MD. Photo Credit: Supplied
Johannesburg, South Africa — Technology company Netstar has officially launched its first Digital Learning Centre (DLC) in Hillbrow, marking a significant investment in youth development, digital education and inner-city revitalisation in Johannesburg.
The facility, located at the BG Alexander Estate in partnership with MES, forms part of the broader collaboration between Altron and citizen movement Jozi My Jozi aimed at using technology and education to drive meaningful social impact.
The new centre is specifically designed for Grade 7 to Grade 9 learners from Johannesburg’s inner city — many of whom have limited access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) resources such as coding, robotics and digital problem-solving programmes.
The Digital Learning Centre features two dedicated learning spaces where learners rotate through three core development streams: IT and digital skills, innovative-thinking “Tinker” programmes focused on spatial reasoning and problem-solving, and robotics training centred around collaborative engineering challenges.
Seen Here: New tinkering room at MES Hillbrow Photo Credit: Supplied
Beyond serving after-school learners registered through MES programmes, the facility will also open its doors to surrounding schools during the school day, extending its educational reach to a broader community of young learners.
Incoming Netstar Managing Director Warren Mande described the initiative as a long-term investment in sustainable impact rather than symbolic corporate social investment.
“This is what meaningful CSI looks like in practice,” said Mande. “We didn’t want a once-off donation or a logo on a wall. We wanted something that compounds year after year, learner after learner.”
He added that the facility is intended to help prepare the next generation of South African innovators, engineers, software developers and entrepreneurs by giving them early exposure to critical digital and technical skills. The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to address educational inequality and youth unemployment by equipping learners with competencies increasingly required in a rapidly digitising economy.
Seen Here: New tinkering room at MES Hillbrow Photo Credit: Supplied
Leona Pienaar said the project represents more than simply opening a learning centre, describing it as an opportunity to reshape futures for children living in the heart of Hillbrow.
“Through coding, robotics and innovative thinking, young minds will discover that their future is not limited by their environment but expanded by opportunity,” she said.
Pienaar also acknowledged the role played by Madulammoho Housing Association, which partnered in providing spaces that could be transformed into learning environments focused on dignity, innovation and hope.
The Netstar centre is the second Digital Learning Centre launched through the Altron and Jozi My Jozi partnership, following the opening of the first hub at the Maharishi Invincibility Institute in Marshalltown in October 2025.
The partnership was established as part of Altron’s 60th anniversary celebrations and is anchored around three strategic pillars: technology, employee giving and education.
Collin Govender said the programme reflects the company’s commitment to giving back to Johannesburg, a city closely tied to Altron’s own growth and history.
Seen Here: Robotics in action from students at Maharishi Invincibiltiy Institute at the launch of the new Digital Learning Centre at MES in Hillbrow. Photo Credit: Supplied
“Two Digital Learning Centres in under a year is exactly the cadence we committed to,” said Govender. “We are using technology, data and human ingenuity to build a simpler, safer and smarter tomorrow — and that future starts in classrooms like this one.”
For Jozi My Jozi, the project serves as a practical example of how collaboration between the private sector, civic organisations and communities can deliver measurable change in the inner city.
Innocent Mabusela said the Digital Learning Centre demonstrates what becomes possible when corporate South Africa consistently invests in communities and educational transformation.
Seen Here: A student from Maharishi Invincibiltiy Institute explaining robotics to a group of inner-city learners. Photo Credit: Supplied
“Two centres in, we are seeing what’s possible when corporate South Africa shows up consistently for the benefit of the city and its children,” he said.
The facility will operate throughout the year, with success expected to be measured through long-term learner outcomes, educational progression and sustained exposure to digital innovation and problem-solving skills.
As Johannesburg continues efforts to revitalise the CBD and create opportunities for young people, the Netstar Digital Learning Centre represents a growing shift toward practical, technology-driven community investment designed to create lasting social and economic impact.
