The Gauteng Department of e-Government has officially launched the Youth Tech Expo G13 Hackathon Series 2026 as part of its Youth Month programme, aimed at empowering young people through technology and innovation.
The province-wide initiative seeks to accelerate youth innovation and develop practical digital solutions to address Gautengโs key service delivery challenges.
According to the department, the Hackathon Series forms part of the Gauteng Provincial Governmentโs commitment to youth empowerment, digital transformation and innovation-led governance in line with the G13 priorities of the 7th Administration.
The programme will bring together young innovators, government institutions, technology stakeholders and industry partners to collaborate on solutions that can improve public services and tackle challenges facing communities across the province.
The hackathon events will be rolled out across Gautengโs five corridors, namely the West Rand, Sedibeng, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, during June 2026.
The series will conclude with a Provincial Finale and Awards Ceremony scheduled to take place at the Microsoft offices in Johannesburg. The Provincial Finale Hackathon is expected to run from 29 to 30 June 2026, while the official Closing Ceremony and Awards Presentation will be held on 1 July 2026.
The first hackathon in the series will be hosted in the West Rand region as an overnight innovation challenge where participants will conceptualise, design and develop technology-driven solutions to address real-world issues.
Gauteng MEC for e-Government, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, said the initiative reflects governmentโs commitment to investing in young people and creating opportunities for innovation to flourish.
โWe believe that the youth of Gauteng possess the creativity, talent and technological capability to develop solutions that can transform communities and improve government service delivery. Through the Youth Tech Expo G13 Hackathon Series, we are creating a platform for young innovators to showcase their skills, collaborate with industry leaders and contribute meaningfully to the digital future of our province,โ said Dhlamini.
The department believes the programme will not only encourage innovation among young people, but also strengthen collaboration between government and the technology sector in building smarter and more responsive public services for Gauteng residents.
