SA tech firm aims to create jobs for youth

News24

05-06-2025

The Johannesburg-based tech company's factory in the Free State is expected to create 5 000 jobs by 2027.
It designs and produces smartphones such as the Orion Pro, using local skills and materials.
Enexi is also launching youth training programmes to equip young people with tech skills.
In a global tech economy dominated by imports and Silicon Valley brands, a proudly South African company is quietly reshaping the game and thousands of jobs along with it.
Enexi Solutions, a smart technology manufacturer based in Bryanston in Johannesburg, is positioning itself as a trailblazer in Africa's tech manufacturing sector.
Led by founder Richard Shokane and managing director Lebohang Mopeli, Enexi designs and produces smartphones and digital devices with one clear goal, to shift Africa from being just a tech consumer to becoming a tech producer.
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Now, the company is taking a major leap, it is building a state-of-the-art laptop bag manufacturing plant in Mangaung in the Free State, with a long-term vision to expand into full device assembly and production. And with it, they plan to create more than 5 000 new jobs by 2027. Shokane said at least 1 000 people would be employed in the first phase of construction.
You can't sell a laptop without a bag. So, why import it when we can make it here, create jobs and build our ecosystem?
Richard Shokane
Born in Bushbuckridge, built for the continent
Mahlatsi Moleya
Richard Shokane (44), was born in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. His journey to building a tech company spanned both academic and corporate milestones across the globe. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree and later a Master's in Mathematics from Wits University, he taught maths in Saudi Arabia and at New York University in Dubai, where he inspired a generation of students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
In 2019, he joined Foxconn in Guangzhou, one of China's largest electronics manufacturers in the world, which works in hardware quality control. There, he gained a specific understanding of global supply chains, manufacturing efficiency and how to scale production with precision. Rather than stay abroad, he returned to SA with a bigger purpose – to build something rooted in African soil, which could rival the world's best.
'I've seen how the world builds tech,' says Shokane. 'Now we're doing it our way from the ground up.'
Today, Enexi has operational branches in SA, Botswana, Zambia and Eswatini, with regional teams proud to be part of a homegrown African tech brand.
We're not just making devices. We're building a movement.
Lebogang Mopeli, Enexi managing director
Africa has all the minerals it needs to make world-class tech. But we've never used them to their full potential. We want to change that – by turning our resources into real products, built by our people.
Richard Shokane
Shokane's vision is in motion. Enexi has established active branches in four countries, with each market embracing the idea of a truly African-made tech brand.
'We've seen the excitement,' says Mopeli. 'People want to own something that reflects their identity. Enexi isn't just about devices, it's about dignity.'
Real devices, real specs
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Take the Orion Pro, Enexi's latest smartphone. It runs on Android 15, with 8GB of RAM, a 50MP rear camera, a 16MP front camera and a powerful 6000mAh battery. Unlike many global brands, the Orion Pro is built with African users in mind – it is tough, reliable and backed by a three-year warranty.
Most people chase specs that sound good on paper; we build phones that work for real people and last.
Richard Shokane
But, for Enexi, the hardware is only one piece of the puzzle. The deeper aim is to develop skills, empower the youth and create long-term employment in SA and across the continent.
Lerato Mazibuko's story | Why it matters
For 21-year-old Lerato Mazibuko, who recently learnt about Enexi through a local community programme in the Free State, the announcement couldn't have come at a better time.
'I've always been curious about tech,' Mazibuko says. 'But I never thought I could be part of it. Now it feels possible and close to home.'
Enexi is planning training and skills development programmes that will teach young people such as Mazibuko to build, repair and maintain tech devices, preparing them for the global digital economy without needing to leave their communities.
Business that builds
Mahlatsi Moleya
In a category where global brands such as Tecno, Xiaomi and Samsung dominate, the Orion Pro holds its own:
Compared with the Tecno Spark 10, which has similar RAM and camera specs, the Orion Pro is cheaper and comes with a longer warranty.
While the Samsung Galaxy A04S sells for about R2 999 and offers a similar battery size, it lacks some of the local repair and support options that Enexi provides.
Unlike other entry-level phones, the Orion Pro is backed by local manufacturing and jobs, meaning each purchase contributes to SA's economy.
As construction plans kick off in Mangaung, Enexi is not waiting for Silicon Valley to open doors. It's building its own gadgets and it's doing it right here, on African soil.
The Orion Pro is priced at R1 500 and available at www.enexi.co.za.
Shokane believes that private companies, not government alone, are the real engines of job creation. But for companies such as Enexi to succeed, they need policy support and access to funding.
We don't need to wait for Silicon Valley to give us anything. We've got the people, the minerals and the idea; we just need to back ourselves.
With the Free State facility breaking ground soon and an ambitious growth strategy under way, Enexi is proving that Africa's tech future doesn't have to be imported; it can be built from scratch, right here. And it's already happening.