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Innovative UFS students revolutionise campus convenience with CartZA

12 November 2025 | Story Onthatile Tikoe | Photo Supplied

In an inspiring display of innovation and collaboration, a group of University of the Free State (UFS) students have reimagined campus convenience through CartZA, a student-developed food delivery app that is transforming how students access meals and services. What began as a late-night idea during exam season has grown into one of the university’s proudest examples of student entrepreneurship.

From late-night hunger to a campus-wide solution

The idea for CartZA was born in November 2024, when Kenny Netshitanzwani, now Chief Operations Officer, and Tshepo Lencoe, now Chief Marketing Officer, found themselves waiting endlessly in queues at the Thakaneng Bridge during a late-night study session. “We waited nearly 40 minutes just to get food and thought, what if students could order in advance and collect without waiting?” recalls Netshitanzwani.

By December 2024, the two self-taught developers began building a website prototype from their homes. They tested the concept through an online poll that received an overwhelming 97% approval from 425 students. On 27 February 2025, they launched the website during Ms Winnie Sereeco’s entrepreneurship lecture, processing ten orders on the first day and more than a hundred by the end of the semester.

Their pitch attracted Lehlohonolo Molaba Duncan, now Chief Technology Officer – a BCom Finance student and systems architect who joined to develop the mobile app. Later, he introduced Richard Molefe, a BCom Honours in Finance student with strong corporate and leadership experience, who became Chief Executive Officer, completing the CartZA founding team.

Turning queues into clicks

By August 2025, the team had launched a fully functional app available on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Within weeks, it had surpassed 1 200 downloads, now exceeding 2 000. The app allows users to order ahead for collection or opt for delivery, with CartZA’s slogan, ‘Add to Cart and Cut the Queue,’ capturing its mission to simplify student life through technology and convenience.

Overcoming challenges and gaining recognition

The journey was not without challenges. The team self-funded the project through allowances and side hustles, even borrowing a fellow student’s MacBook, affectionately known as Comfort the Barber, to publish on Apple’s platform. Their breakthrough came when The Deli restaurant joined the platform, expanding access to more outlets.

Their innovation has since gained recognition across the province. CartZA was named among the Free State Top 10 in the Youth Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Young African Entrepreneurs Institute and Absa Bank, and will represent the province at the national finals in November. The team also received the Student Entrepreneurial Excellence Award at the 2025 Executive Director of Student Affairs (EDSA) Prestige Awards.

Beyond convenience, CartZA now employs 15 active student delivery partners and has 30 more registered on standby across Bloemfontein, empowering peers while reshaping campus life.

Looking ahead

With plans to expand to other universities, CartZA aims to become a nationwide lifestyle platform connecting students, service providers, and opportunities. “Our journey shows that innovation starts with identifying the needs around you,” says Molefe. “CartZA is proof that when students collaborate and persist, they can create meaningful change.”

News Archive

UFS changes format of graduation ceremony

2011-04-17

The highest number of qualifications in the history of the University of the Free State (UFS) will be awarded at the autumn diploma and graduation ceremony from 9-11 May 2011, which will be held in the Callie Human Centre on our Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

From this year, the format of the ceremony will change to make it more visible to students and the public. For the first time, all the doctoral and master’s degrees from each respective faculty will be conferred during one ceremony on 11 May 2011, instead of each faculty handling these qualifications individually. Another change in the format is that the procession will gather on the Red Square in front of the Main Building and move to the Callie Human Centre from there. Both academic staff and graduands will partake in the procession.

A total of 3 674 qualifications will be conferred during this year’s graduation ceremony, including 629 diplomas, 2 613 Bachelors and honours degrees, 372 master’s degrees and 58 doctorates.

An honorary doctorate in Drama and Theatre Arts will also be awarded to theatre stalwart Mr Pieter Fourie. He is one of the most acclaimed Afrikaans playwrights in South Africa and probably the only person to have left his mark as an actor, director, artistic director and writer.

Mr Fourie was awarded the Gerhard Beukes prize for drama , was honoured for his contribution to the arts by the South African Academy for Science and Arts and was appointed as trustee of the Arts and Culture Trust of the State President in 1997. He has also served as a committee member of the South African Academy for Science and Arts.

Mr. Fourie has also been the proud recipient of the Hertzog prize for drama, two FNB-Vita awards and a Fleur Du Cap award.

The full programme for the respective ceremonies is as follows:

Monday, 9 May 2011:

At 08:30, certificates and diplomas, excluding PGED and PGES, will be awarded to graduates from the Faculty of Education and at 12:00 PGED, PGED and B and honours degrees will be awarded to students from the same faculty. At 15:30 on the same day, certificates and B and honours degrees will be awarded to students in the Faculty of the Humanities.

At 19:00, the Faculties of Education, the Humanities and Economic and Management Sciences will have their prize-giving ceremonies for outstanding achievers.

Tuesday, 10 May 2011:

At 08:30, students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences will graduate and at and 12:00 the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science will join them. This includes students in BML, B.Admin., B.Pub. and related honours degrees. At 15:30, 503 students from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will receive their certificates, diplomas and B and honours degrees.

At 19:00, the Faculties of Health Sciences, Natural and Agriculture Sciences, Law and Theology will have their prize-giving ceremonies.

Wednesday, 11 May 2011:

The Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Theology will be awarding their certificates, diplomas and B and honours degrees at 08:30. At 12:00, all faculties will award a total of 372 master’s degrees and at 15:30 a total of 58 doctorates will be conferred.

The Chancellor’s Dinner will take place in the Centenary Complex on the Main Campus of the UFS at 19:00.

The graduation ceremony of our Qwaqwa Campus will take place in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus on 7 May 2011 at 10:00. All the faculties at this campus will confer their degrees, certificates and diplomas at this ceremony.

Media Release
21 April 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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