Mandla Magwaza
'Mandla Magwaza' is a South African entrepreneur and innovation specialist recognized for advancing tourism technology, digital inclusion, and sustainability initiatives. He is a member of the B20 Digital Transformation Task Force under South Africa’s 2025 G20 presidency and is known for founding digital platforms that support responsible tourism and small business development.[1][2]
Early life and education
Magwaza was born in Katlehong, Gauteng. His career in digital entrepreneurship was supported by various public-private innovation programs. Specific details of his formal education are not widely documented, but he emerged as a tourism technology entrepreneur through participation in national innovation incubators and policy forums.[3]
Career
Magwaza is the founder of the 'Arts Revolution Project', a platform that uses immersive 360° video and VR storytelling to digitize South African tourism destinations. He was selected for the Tourism Technology Grassroots Innovation Incubator Programme (TTGIIP), run by the Department of Tourism and Technology Innovation Agency.[3]
He also leads 'City Visa', a digital tourism ecosystem that integrates public transport information, safety tools, eco-friendly business directories, and emergency support for tourists and locals. It includes services such as scam reporting, environmental rewards, digital concierge tools, and disaster alerts. City Visa was recognized as a "One to Watch" winner at the 2025 World Travel Market (WTM) Africa Responsible Tourism Awards.[4]
He is also the Editor-in-Chief of 'Wellth Magazine', a digital publication that focuses on wellness, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
Policy and leadership
Magwaza has been active in tourism policy, serving as a contributor to the B20 Digital Transformation Task Force and promoting SME digital inclusion and innovation. He was invited to the 2024 State of the Nation Address as a guest of the President of South Africa in recognition of his public impact in tourism entrepreneurship.[5]
Awards and recognition
"One to Watch" winner – WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards 2025[4] FOYA South Africa 2025 – Hospitality Founder of the Year (Over 30) nominee[5] Guest of the President – 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA)
References
- ↑ "Empowering workers and SMEs: key digital inclusion strategies from the B20 Summit". IOL. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ "B20 SA Digital Taskforce charts roadmap for inclusive digital transformation". The South African. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Tourism innovator takes advantage of government support". Vukuzenzele. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Africa's changemakers celebrated at 2025 WTM Responsible Tourism Awards". BizCommunity. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "FOYA Hospitality Founder Of The Year (Over 30): Mandla Magwaza". FOYA South Africa. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
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