Plastic brick creator heads to Germany
He will represent South Africa at the annual Falling Walls Science Summit 2024.
For his innovative plastic brick creation, Sekelo Shude (26) from Gcilima will participate in a summit in Berlin, Germany, from November 7 to 9.
He secured first place in a national competition hosted by Falling Walls Lab held in Cape Town recently.
Under the theme ‘Paving the way to Sustainability’, Shude competed against 83 candidates. He will now represent South Africa at the annual Falling Walls Science Summit 2024.
The summit has united the world’s greatest minds to break down barriers in science and innovation. They bring together global science leaders, business pioneers and public sector visionaries to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and shape the future of the international innovation system, creating meaningful impact for humanity.
He hopes to win in Berlin so that he can be able to secure funding.
Shude studied business information management at the Durban University of Technology.
He came up with the brick concept, as plastic is harmful to the environment. “During my research, I found that others who use plastic to create bricks still use cement,” he explained.
However, for his brick, water or cement are not used, which makes it unique. He said it’s just as strong as a brick mixed with cement.
Shude was also mentioned in an article published in a German publication, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit: “Sekelo’s winning project, titled ‘Breaking the Wall of Plastic Pollution’, focuses on creating pavers made from sand and plastic waste. The project not only addresses the pressing issue of plastic pollution but also offers a practical solution for sustainable construction.”
Shude said he works with a team to collect plastic waste from local landfills, paying a small fee to the municipality.
Currently, he produces each brick by hand, which takes about 10 minutes.
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