BOFA - Gauteng learners build solar-powered train and car

Technical schools pupils overcome lack of funds to be innovative
As SA continues to live in the shadow of load-shedding and petrol hikes,
pupils from two Gauteng schools of specialisation – the Soshanguve Automotive School of Specialisation and John Orr Engineering School of Specialisation in Johannesburg – have built a solar-powered train and car respectively.
The pupils looked at the crisis the country finds itself in and came up with
innovative solutions using solar energy.
The innovative projects were among creations by university students showcased at the Sasol Innovation Expo held at Carnival City in Brakpan, on the
East Rand, on Thursday.
This made the schools the only ones that participated in the expo.
When Sowetan visited the Soshanguve Automotive School of Specialisation,
north of Pretoria, on Friday, matric pupils showcased their amazing train
called Modjadji, which is named after the late Rain Queen, Makobo Modjadji, who died in June 2005. The blue train has mirrors, wipers and carpets.
It consists of four solar panels to power it up, a motor and a 46V battery that
can run the train up to a speed of 60km/h.
Civil technology (construction) pupil Lethabo Nkadimeng, who came up with
the idea to build the train in 2020, when he was in grade 10, said he was
proud of the end-product as they had worked hard to put it together when
time was not on their side.
“We had to carry both the co-curriculum and extracurriculum syllabus in a
short time,” he said, emphasising that academically they had to perform
above 90% to pass.
“The structure was manufactured and done by the mechanical engineering
pupils while the electrical engineering pupils did the auto electrical work,
which is the lights and wipers.
“The mechanical engineering pupils also had to connect the motors and all
the wheels to run the train while the civil engineering pupils dealt with the
wooden flooring and carpets,” said Nkadimeng.
He said he had known about the expo when he had an idea of building the
solar-powered train but when they completed the project the school had entered it for the expo

 

Guest: Ronnie Masindi

Guest: Princess Nkwana