The University of Johannesburg (UJ), in collaboration with the Melville Koppies Management Committee, has officially launched an augmented reality (AR) heritage experience at the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, bringing a 500-year-old African smelting site back to life through cutting-edge technology.
Unveiled on Workers’ Day (1 May 2026), the initiative pays tribute to the labour, craftsmanship, and advanced metallurgical knowledge of pre-colonial ancestors of today’s Sesotho and Setswana-speaking communities showcasing indigenous innovation at the centre of the narrative.
Led by Dr Izak Potgieter and Dr Herman Myburgh of UJ’s Metaverse Research Unit (MRU), the AR project allows visitors to use their smartphones to see a historically grounded, 3D reconstruction of the ancient smelter digitally overlaid directly onto the existing remains.
Through animation and narration, the project transforms the site into an immersive learning environment, offering new insight into early African engineering, resource use, and environmental awareness.
The project reflects a broader institutional commitment, with collaboration across UJ’s Department of History and Language Unit ensuring the experience is academically rigorous and accessible through multilingual narration.
Speaking at the launch, Professor Kammila Naidoo, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, said the AR project brought together history, AI technology and imagination.
“Melville Koppies has long stood as a place of deep historical and cultural significance. For many of the present generation, these histories can feel distant and this project steps in as not just a technological achievement but an intellectual and cultural bridge. Through augmented reality we can reconstruct, reanimate and re-experience a vital aspect of our shared history.”
The technology is designed to be affordable, with even the cheapest smartphone able to access the QR code for an animated and storytelling experience.
Dr Potgieter emphasised that history is embedded in the landscapes people inhabit and the communities they build.
“The site offers a rare opportunity to represent pre-colonial African technological knowledge in-situ,” said Dr Potgieter. “By animating the past, we enable visitors to engage with history in a way that is immediate, accessible, and deeply meaningful.”
The AR project will also be available at all the UJ libraries to attract students to the site.
Jenny Grice from the Melville Koppies Management Committee added that the AR Project would be a great addition to the many activities already taking place at the site to attract even more visitors, young and old.
By integrating archaeological and ethnographic evidence, UJ aims to establish a new precedent for how digital storytelling can preserve cultural memory without disturbing protected conservation landscapes.
The launch also included a panel discussion highlighting the need for civic, corporate and community partnerships to take care of heritage assets and promote a sense of identity and pride in Johannesburg.
“Through this project, the University of Johannesburg and its partners aim to establish a precedent for immersive heritage interpretation in South Africa, demonstrating how digital technologies can deepen public understanding, enhance heritage conservation, and foster meaningful engagement between communities, scholars, and visitors,” says Dr Potgieter.
The Melville Koppies AR experience will not only preserve and celebrate the legacy of the Batswana settlement but also inspire future initiatives that integrate cultural heritage, research, and innovative digital storytelling.
