A team of bright young people, including a University of Johannesburg (UJ) student, has taken top honours at a pioneering hackathon hosted by UJ and KFC, aimed at finding innovative ways to combat child hunger in South Africa. The winning team, Cntrl-Alt-Del-Hunger, walked away with R1 million in seed funding for their forward-thinking approach to reducing food waste and improving access to nutritious produce.
The Cntrl-Alt-Del-Hunger team’s winning concept centres on a digital funding and food-supply platform that rescues imperfect fruits and vegetables, produce that would otherwise be discarded by farms, and redirects it to those in need at a lower cost. “This initiative aims to reduce food waste and make nutritious produce more accessible to those in need,” said the team representative. Shepard Thobejane, a member of the Cntrl-Alt-Del-Hunger team is a third-year UJ Computer Sciences student at UJ.
In collaboration with Misfits Mzansi, the team’s project combines technology and community engagement to create long-term impact. The partnership operates on two main pillars: sharing valuable information on food security and enabling users to make donations through the Click to Feed feature. To expand their reach, the team will use KFC’s Wi-Fi captive portal technology, run social media campaigns to raise awareness, and partner with organisations, influencers, and stakeholders committed to fighting hunger.
The hackathon brought together young innovators, industry leaders, and community partners to brainstorm and develop practical solutions to hunger. Following an intense round of presentations, the Streetwise Scripters claimed second place, while Bit Coders secured third. Other notable entries included Citrus Supreme and Hack 4 Hope, whose creative approaches also drew strong praise from judges.
The event formed part of KFC’s broader Add Hope initiative, which, since its launch in 2009 has raised over R1.2 billion to provide meals and promote healthy eating across South Africa. “The initiative aims to provide food to those in need and promote healthy eating habits,” said Akhona Qengqe, General Manager for KFC Africa.
Speaking on the importance of collaboration, Nolo Thobejane, Chief People, Culture, and Purpose Officer at KFC Africa, said, “We could not have done it alone. The simplicity and universality of Add Hope have made it successful, while transparency and trust have contributed to its lasting impact.”
Adding to this, Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder of Gift of the Givers, stressed that hunger cannot be tackled in isolation. “Collaboration is key to addressing hunger and supporting the initiatives that work to eliminate it,” he said.
UJ’s Professor Naudé Malan, Associate Professor of Business Management, also highlighted the need to rethink agricultural systems and food distribution. “We must relook the way we deal with food and create hope within our agricultural structures,” he said.
Reflecting on the human cost of hunger, Luvuyo Sandi, SED Business and Fund Manager, remarked, “Hunger is a coward, one minute you are hungry, one minute you are full. Food is a basic human right, and hunger affects human dignity.”
The event concluded on an uplifting note as Qengqe encouraged participants to sustain the momentum of collective action: “We are here to ignite the spirit of ubuntu.” Her words captured the event’s central message that only through shared purpose and collaboration can South Africa overcome the challenge of child hunger.
