CAPE TOWN- HONOR takes credit at this years’ annual Africa Tech Festival 2025
Celebrating its 28th edition, the technology giant has called for the ethical governance, inclusive access, and meaningful social impact and AI.
The tech company boss Fred Zhou, highlighted that continent’s digital future must be built and supported, a point that was approved by leaders from government, global tech firms, and the startup ecosystem.
HONOR is one of lead sponsors, at the fest held in Cape Town that kicked-off with excitement on Tuesday 11 and wraps up on Thursday 13.
Reinforcing the government’s focus on equitable digital transformation, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi- called for coordinated action to harness technology for social impact.
He reiterated that for South Africa to benefit from and participate in the next wave of innovation, particularly AI, three foundations are essential: affordable connectivity and devices, reliable digital public infrastructure, and digital literacy. When these foundations are strong, everything else accelerates, he said.
During fireside chat alongside seasoned speaker Vusi Thembakwayo, Vodacom’s executive for Branding, Marketing and Communications- Andisa Ntsubane and Zhou, all offered valuable insights into Africa’s digital transformation, building inclusive innovation and Open AI for Open Africa, amongst others.
They highlighted the need for ethical AI governance and cross-sector collaboration, noting that with the right policies, AI can drive real impact in healthcare, agriculture, education, and public service delivery across Africa.
Zhou, during media interaction, pointed out that HONOR will invest over R10bn dollars in the next ten years’ as part of what is coined ‘alpha plan’, which amongst it, would seek to bridge the technology gap between SA and China, offer intelligent eco-system and aggressive research and development.
Akhram Mohamed, geekhub editor and former Huawei executive conceded that, Swahili is the most spoken language in Africa, thus AI should be part of it.
“The issue is not about whether we have language models that can understand our languages and cultures. The issue is do we have access to the data that we can train these models on,“ asked Thabo Makenete, Head of Public Policy, Southern Africa, Meta.
Reflecting on the festival, Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for Africa Tech Festival, said, “Africa Tech Festival has always been more than an event.
It’s a movement that celebrates Africa’s ingenuity and ambition to lead in the digital age.
This year’s edition is about ensuring that innovation is responsible, inclusive, and anchored in real-world impact. From AI and cloud to connectivity and policy, the conversations taking place here in Cape Town, this week, reflect a continent that is not only participating in the global digital economy but shaping it on its own terms.
We’re proud to provide a platform for the continent’s tech visionaries, investors, and policymakers.”
The sought-after fest saw over 500 speakers and 15 000 guests attending, globally.
Image SLM (All hands on the deck. From left- Vodacom’s executive for Branding, Marketing and Communications- Andisa Ntsubane, middle- Minister of Communication- Solly Malatsi and HONOR Africa boss Fred Zhou, reflected at the 2025 Africa Tech Festival, held in Cape Town).
