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From Berlin with love: UCT students bring home global retail crown
15 May 2026 | Story Myolisi Gophe. Photos Supplied Read time 7 min.
A team of University of Cape Town (UCT) students have placed South Africa on the global retail map after winning the prestigious Future Retail Challenge at the 2026 World Retail Congress in Berlin, Germany.
Competing against some of the world’s top universities, the team – aptly named Braai-nary Code – impressed judges with an innovative proposal that used artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance customer experiences at Spur Corporation’s iconic Spur Steak Ranches restaurants.
The winning team, Tumelo Magwane, Senzwa Gum, Jamian Wiese and Mbalenhle Mokwena are all property studies students at UCT. Their triumph marked a historic milestone as they were named the first African team to compete in the challenge and to walk away as winners. And for the students, the victory represented far more than a trophy. It demonstrated South African excellence, resilience and creativity.
“I often say I am loud and proud – loud in voice and character, but proud enough to use that in the service of others,” said Magwane, reflecting on the journey that led the group from UCT’s lecture halls onto an international stage.
“It wasn’t a matter of should we collaborate, but when. Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses, but together we work well as a team.”
A call to enter
The competition journey began earlier this year when they received a call from the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) to participate in a national innovation challenge linked to the World Retail Congress. Having collaborated on assignments and projects throughout their studies, the four students decided to join forces.
“It wasn’t a matter of should we collaborate, but when,” said Magwane. “Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses, but together we work well as a team.”
The students admitted that, initially, part of the motivation for entering was the opportunity to travel internationally. For most of them, travelling to Berlin would be their first overseas trip. But what began as excitement soon evolved into an intense process of research, rehearsals and refining ideas.
“There were late nights, early mornings and constant pressure-testing of our concepts. We didn’t just build a presentation; we built a shared vision,” the team shared in a joint written reflection after the competition
Optimising Spur’s famous birthday celebration
Their project focused on how AI could enhance Spur’s famous birthday celebration experience – a nostalgic and familiar tradition for many South Africans. While the students could not reveal full details of the proposal (because of future presentations planned with industry stakeholders), they explained that the concept focused on preserving human warmth in retail spaces.
“What set us apart was that we focused on emotional connection [and] experience -driven technology,”
“We realised that we all had one thing in common – we had all experienced a Spur birthday celebration,” said Gum. “That became our hook.”
Rather than presenting AI as a replacement for people, the team positioned technology as a tool that could strengthen human interaction.
“What set us apart was that we focused on emotional connection [and] experience-driven technology,” said Mokwena. “Other presentations focused more on abstract technology and automation. We showed how AI can free humans to be more human.”
The team intentionally prioritised emotional connection and customer experience over flashy technology.
“We wanted to protect the warmth of the space – what we called the ‘braai’ part of Spur,” she said. “Retail is ultimately about human connection.”
An outstanding proposal
The proposal’s strong commercial grounding is what set it apart. As property studies students, the team incorporated financial modelling and investment returns, synonymous with retail and shopping centre performance metrics.
“We understood that CEOs would want to know what the return on investment would look like,” Mokwena said.
Despite arriving in Berlin confident with their preparation, the students said the scale of the competition was intimidating. Teams from leading universities around the world delivered what they described as “world-class” presentations.
“We went there believing we could win,” said Wiese. “But seeing the level of competition definitely raised the bar.”
The tension reached its peak during the announcement ceremony, where organisers first announced the runners-up before revealing the winners.
“My heart sank,” Wiese recalled. “Then suddenly our name was called, and it was pure jubilation.”
The team agreed that their victory instantly reminded them of the sacrifices and hard work that went into preparing for the competition.
Symbolic moment
Throughout the trip, one symbolic moment remained etched in their memories: Berlin’s famous Victory Column. During preparations back home, the team had shared pictures of the monument as motivation and imagined standing there victorious. By coincidence, the monument stood only a short distance from their accommodation.
After winning, the students climbed to the top of the landmark holding the trophy aloft.
“It was such a full-circle moment,” Magwane said. “At every point, that statue reminded us that we could make it.”
A priceless opportunity
But winning the competition wasn’t their only highlight. The opportunity to network with global retail leaders was another one of the competition’s greatest rewards.
“Just being in those rooms, having conversations with global retail giants, was priceless. That opportunity is one of the greatest trophies from this experience.”
And the team were in good company. Among those who congratulated them were executives from major South African retail companies and international business leaders who attended the congress. They also met senior industry figures, including retail CEOs and business executives, many of whom praised their presentation and confidence.
“Just being in those rooms, having conversations with global retail giants, was priceless,” said Gum. “That opportunity is one of the greatest trophies from this experience.”
Credit to UCT
The students credited Africa’s top university for equipping them with the technical knowledge, as well as with critical thinking, communication skills and confidence, to take on this challenge.
Mokwena, who grew up in a township in Pretoria, said the experience was deeply personal.
“Growing up in a township, self-esteem is not always great,” she said. “Coming to UCT already gave me confidence, but standing on a global stage representing South Africa showed me that I should never place limits on my abilities.”
She said UCT taught them to think on their feet and confidently defend their ideas under pressure.
“That’s what stood out to other institutions – our confidence and our ability to articulate ourselves,” she said.
Proudly South African
For Gum, the victory also reflected something uniquely South African.
“One of the judges said our presentation was brought to life by our humanity and spirit,” he said. “That speaks to the diversity, culture and Ubuntu we carry as South Africans.”
As the first African winners of the competition, the students hope their achievement inspires others to believe in their own potential.
“We are proof that South Africans can compete with the best in the world,” said Magwane. “We are here. We believe, and we can carry the torch forward.”
Gum continued: “This experience has deepened our understanding of the retail and shopping centre industry. Before this, we hadn't been exposed to the field at all, and we found it surprisingly dynamic and multi-dimensional.”
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