Local youngster creates neoteric invention

Tech geek from Soweto, Sandile Mweli (29) has invented a multifunctional device that will give South Africans the ultimate control.

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He is the brains behind the ACS, Automatic cellular switch, a multifunctional device which operates with just the use of a phone.

The sensational device can be used to switch on and off the geyser, as an alarm system or switching on/off a light bulb all via the phone.

“I developed this device when I was 17-years-old. Growing up with my brother at my grandmother’s house, we would argue about whose turn was is it to switch off the light, and I figured if I could create a way to switch off the light with a phone,” he told Urban News.

The device is made from recyclable materials salvaged from dumping sites, old cars and appliances. This was to avoid expenditure as he was starting small.

“Once the material is gathered, creating one device can take about three hours to put together the whole system from scratch since I work alone. I believe within three days I can have about 10 fully functional devices,” he added, with a chuckle.

The impressive power of the device when installed in a car can instantly shut down the engine of a moving car if it is hijacked and also lead the police to the location of the vehicle through the sim card IMEI number interlocked to a phone inside the device.

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Mweli used his self-taught coding skills to create a specialised app that is linked between the phone and the device and by Just dialling eight on your phone or sending a please call to the device, it sends commands to the device.

“It immediately shuts down and sends an SMS to the user alerting them that the car has been shut down and a second SMS is sent to the police with the location of the vehicle.

“You could be in Zimbabwe and I could shut it down while I am here, as long as there is a network.”

The father of two suggests that it can also be installed on underground pipes or Eskom mini-sub to pick up on faults.

So far he has secured 16 clients which use the device, many of which are in the taxi industry and says through the partnership have successfully recovered four taxis which were hijacked.

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“I give it to them for free, but I ask for R100 a month because it’s recyclable material.

“The money is to ensure that I am able to sustain myself and keep working on more projects since I am unemployed.”

Sabelo holds no formal qualification for electronics, but said he believed that he was born with this unique talent. He said despite this, he has big hopes for it to be the next big thing in the country.

“My plan is to compete with big companies such as Samsung because I don’t only do this but I can design anything, any device or machine.

“I want to start a company from Soweto, that will share this skill with unemployed youth or former addicts to create jobs and give them hope. “