Thabiso Matsemela has designed a wireless lighting control system that is improving workplace accessibility for his colleague in the Free State.
Originally from Botshabelo near Bloemfontein, Matsemela created the device to enable Elsonia Swarts to control office lighting independently, without using traditional wall switches. He serves as an Engineering Technician at the Free State Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Swarts, a wheelchair user, explained that the office light switch was previously mounted on the ceiling and wired directly to the lightbulb, making it difficult to reach. With the new system, she can now turn the lights on and off effortlessly using a remote device within her reach.
She noted that the invention has had a significant impact, enabling her to avoid leaving lights on unnecessarily and helping the department reduce electricity consumption.
Matsemela earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Central University of Technology, where he was named the Best Master’s Student in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. He also received a bursary from the Free State Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Previously, he attracted national attention for developing an integrated alarm and energy management system that automatically disconnects electrical devices—such as air conditioners, heaters, and lighting—when a building is unoccupied. The project earned him the 2022 Trailblazer Award from the Centre for Public Service Innovation.
Matsemela believes the new solution demonstrates how technology can foster a more inclusive and empowering workplace.
Free State MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Dibolelo Mance, commended the innovation, calling Matsemela a young professional with great potential and expressing the department’s pride in his achievements.
