Mxit adds to Mr Price followers, sponsors codeX developers

Mr Price and Mxit delivered a mobile social network ad campaign, attracting 73,630 new subscribers to the MRP Brand App. Sporting a new app design and a clothing voucher giveaway, Mr Price offered consumers a share of R10,000 in vouchers over 10 weeks.

More developers

codeX is a new incubator focused on breeding highly skilled software developers to fuel South Africa's technology ecosystem. This new apprenticeship programme trains young, talented minds to build real software products, and is supplemental to tertiary coding and programming training. Very little coding experience is required to get in; codeX is looking for determined and creative problem solvers with a demonstrated passion for building things.

Tech journalist and TV producer, Elizabeth Gould, former CEO of First National Bank and investor Michael Jordaan, and serial entrepreneur and engineer Dave Weber created it. They soon added agile coach Cara Turner to the team.

"I travel all across the continent interviewing the companies building Africa's digital future, and the most common thing they ask is if I know any developers for them to hire," says Gould, codeX CEO, who also serves as Bloomberg TV Africa's tech correspondent. "Nothing excites me more than giving more awesome young brains the opportunity to build careers in one of the main engines driving the continent's growth."

Bursaries available

The programme actively recruits from youth leadership programmes, STEM schools and computer training centres. The team is also focused on improving the wider gender disparity in tech.

There are three bursaries to the value of R25,000 each to young Mxit users for the next intake in February 2015. Applications are now open and applicants can apply through the Mpower Sponsorships app on Mxit or they can apply through the codeX website at www.projectcodex.co. Applicants must be aged 18-24 and have an active Mxit profile to be considered.