HONOR Technologies Africa, in partnership with Optimas Robotics today launched a Cyberlab at the Kimberley Teachers Centre, expanding access to emerging technologies and practical digital skills as part of HONOR South Africa’s national Cyberlab rollout.
The initiative brings together HONOR South Africa’s commitment to digital inclusion and the entrepreneurial vision of Evans Parson Zwane, Founder and CEO of Optimas Robotics, a South African AI and robotics company focused on developing intelligent technology solutions and advancing technology education.
The Cyberlab is intended to serve as an accessible learning environment for community members and university students seeking to explore robotics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and other digital skills. By bringing these technologies closer to communities, the partnership aims to help more people engage with the innovations shaping the future of education, business and work.
The launch took place in collaboration with the Northern Cape Department of Education, with MEC for Education Abraham Vosloo delivering the keynote address.
Investing in South African talent and innovation
At the heart of the initiative is a partnership with a young South African entrepreneur who is building a business around the practical application of artificial intelligence and robotics.
Through Optimas Robotics, Zwane is working to make intelligent technology more accessible across sectors including education, healthcare, government and business. The company’s portfolio includes humanoid service robots, AI-powered solutions, automation technologies and robotics education programmes.
Optimas Robotics also offers OptimasGPT, an AI-powered educational platform designed to support students, teachers, researchers and institutions through intelligent assistance, research support, document analysis and access to learning resources. OptimasGPT comes in all 11 official languages.
The combination of technology development and education makes the partnership particularly relevant as South Africa works to strengthen digital capabilities and prepare more people for a technology-driven economy.
HONOR South Africa’s collaboration with Zwane reflects the importance of supporting local innovators who are developing solutions with the potential to address real-world challenges. It also demonstrates how partnerships between established technology companies and South African entrepreneurs can create opportunities for communities to benefit from innovation.
Making technology accessible beyond major urban centres
The Kimberley Cyberlab will provide a platform for community members and university students to learn more about emerging technologies and develop foundational digital skills.
Through exposure to robotics and artificial intelligence, participants will have opportunities to explore how these technologies work and how they can be applied in different fields. The focus on cybersecurity and digital skills will also help build awareness of the knowledge increasingly required to participate confidently in a connected world.
The initiative supports the broader objective of making technology education more accessible, particularly for people who may have limited opportunities to engage with advanced digital tools.
By establishing the Cyberlab at the Kimberley Teachers Centre, the partnership seeks to create a local point of access for technology learning and engagement in the Northern Cape.
A shared commitment to digital inclusion
The Cyberlab launch forms part of HONOR South Africa’s wider national rollout of community-focused technology initiatives. Through its social investment programmes, HONOR South Africa has supported efforts to expand access to technology, coding, robotics and digital learning opportunities.
The company’s approach recognises that digital inclusion requires more than access to devices. It also requires opportunities to develop skills, explore emerging technologies and understand how innovation can translate into education, employment and entrepreneurship.
The partnership with Optimas Robotics adds an important local dimension to this commitment by bringing together corporate support and South African technological expertise.
As the country continues to navigate rapid advances in artificial intelligence and automation, initiatives that connect communities with practical learning opportunities can help broaden participation in the digital economy.
Through the Kimberley Cyberlab, HONOR South Africa and Optimas Robotics aim to contribute to a future in which technology becomes a pathway to knowledge, innovation and opportunity for more South Africans.
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