On Tuesday, 17 July 2019, a proudly North West product – Moonshine Reflective Livestock Spray-paint was launched to the communities of Dryharts and Matlapaneng villages near Taung as part of   Mandela Month initiatives.

The innovative product, Moonshine, is a reflective paint for livestock that makes animals visible at night to motor vehicle drivers, thus avoiding accidents and protecting livestock and motorists alike. During the launch, members of the community received the product to use it to spray and thus protect their livestock.

The innovator of Moonhine, Morebodi Memphis Kaotsane hails from Pudimoe Village in the Taung area. He was also present at the launch. Development of the product started after Morebodi won a second place in the 2016 North West Innovation Competition that was hosted by the Office of the Premier, NWDC, NWU and TIA.

Since its conceptualisation, the NWU’s Technology Transfer and Innovation Support Office, in collaboration with the NWDC, has been assisting Morebodi with the technical development of the product, which included ensuring that the spray is not harmful to livestock’s hides.

The launch of the product at the innovator’s community of origin near Taung was made possible by the Road Accident Fund (RAF). The RAF has come out in support of Moonshine and have sponsored the first order of two thousand cans. Their vision is to roll-out the product to other provinces.

In a background document to the event, the NWU’s Technology Transfer and Innovation Support office stated that:

“We find great inspiration in the Moonshine project in that it demonstrates:

·         That rural youth innovation is alive and well in the North West Province

·         That our rural citizens can devise solutions to the challenges in their own communities

·         That donkeys and cows play an integral role in the livelihoods of our rural families: behind every donkey or cow, is a family”

Moonshine’s innovator, Morebodi Kaotsane has also been selected as a 2019 finalist in the SAB Foundation’s Social Innovation Awards. The Social Innovation Awards are aimed at innovators, social entrepreneurs, institutions and social enterprises with prototypes or early-stage businesses that can solve social problems. Videos on the finalists are currently being produced ahead of the winners’ announcement, scheduled for later this year.

-The VIP Team

-NWDC

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