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The Road to the Indaba: Pieter Geldenhuys on smart manufacturing, IIoT and Africa’s digital future

March 2026 News


Pieter Geldenhuys.

As African industry navigates the realities of Industry 4.0, digitalisation and smart manufacturing, few experts are as adept at connecting emerging technology trends with practical industrial application as Pieter Geldenhuys. In this edition of The Road to the Indaba, the spotlight turns to one of South Africa’s leading futurists and technology strategists, and a key contributor to the Africa Automation Indaba 2026.

Geldenhuys is widely recognised for his work in technological foresight, innovation strategy and digital transformation across manufacturing and industrial sectors. Through his leadership at the Institute for Technology Strategy and Innovation, Pieter has advised corporations, utilities, and public sector institutions on how to anticipate disruption, assess readiness, and implement technologies that deliver long-term value. His strength lies in demystifying complex concepts such as IIoT, digital twins and smart factories, translating them into actionable insights for industry professionals.

Geldenhuys will deliver the keynote ‘Smart Manufacturing, IIoT and Digitalisation – Is Africa Ready?’ at the Africa Automation Indaba 2026. This session will examine Africa’s preparedness for Industry 4.0, exploring the technological, skills, and infrastructure requirements needed to build digital factories of the future. Importantly, he will challenge delegates to consider not only what is technically possible, but what is practical and scalable within Africa’s unique industrial context. His contribution will help manufacturers and automation specialists understand how to adopt connected technologies incrementally, responsibly and with clear business outcomes.

Geldenhuys’ participation adds critical foresight and strategic clarity to the Indaba programme. By bridging global technology trends with African operational realities, he equips decision makers to move beyond experimentation toward execution. His insights ensure that conversations around digitalisation are grounded in readiness, return on investment and long-term competitiveness, making his sessions highly relevant for engineers, plant managers, system integrators and technology suppliers alike.

As The Road to the Indaba continues, Geldenhuys’ contribution underscores a central message: Africa’s automation future will not be defined by how fast it adopts technology, but by how wisely it integrates smart manufacturing and IIoT into its industrial ecosystems.

Seats are limited – secure your place at Africa Automation Indaba 2026

Africa Automation Indaba brings together senior industry leaders, policymakers, investors and technology innovators shaping the future of automation across the continent. With a highly curated programme and limited capacity, delegate seats are strictly limited.

At R6500 excl. VAT, your registration gives you access to two days of executive-level insights, strategic networking and future-focused industry dialogue in a premium environment. Demand is already strong and seats are allocated on a first-come basis. Once capacity is reached, registrations will close.

Don’t delay, secure your place now and be part of the conversation shaping Africa’s industrial future.

Click here to register.

For more information contact Hanli Goncalves, RX Africa, +27 82 601 4339, hanli.goncalves1@rxglobal.com, www.rxglobal.com


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