Special-needs pupils in Gqeberha win a national prize for turning plastic into sports gear
Cape Recife High School's "Brick Beasts" built a machine that turns old bottles into 3D-printing filament, then printed shin pads, kicking tees and foot cups for children in wheelchairs.
Gqeberha — Five pupils from a special-needs school in Gqeberha have won Samsung's national Solve for Tomorrow competition, beating 142 public-school entries, Daily Maverick reports.
The robotics team from Cape Recife High School, who call themselves the Brick Beasts, built a machine that turns discarded two-litre plastic bottles into filament for 3D printers. They then printed:
- shin pads, rugby kicking tees and a table tennis bat
- whistles and a dumbbell filled with cement
- foot cups for children with cerebral palsy who use wheelchairs
The prize
The competition, run with the Department of Basic Education, brought the school R100,000 worth of science and technology equipment, and phones and watches for each team member and teacher. It was the school's first entry, and the only Eastern Cape school in the final 20.
The team members are Kukhanya Mbebe, Hein Victor, Justin Burmeister, Dale Webster and Seth Klopper, aged 16 to 18.
Their coach, English teacher Samantha Bell, said she closed her eyes in disbelief when the result was announced. Principal Erica Maritz, who heard the news at a karate tournament, said she cried, and praised the team for winning against better-resourced schools.
Next, the team travels to Dakar for Samsung's programme at the Youth Olympic Games, which open on 31 October.
Source: Daily Maverick, reporting by Gillian McAinsh, 15 October 2026.
