For Immediate Release – 24 June 2025
Camp Comm App: A student-built tech revolution that’s transforming campus life
At Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), innovation is not just a buzzword—it is a movement. Deep within the dynamic corridors of the Department of Electrical Engineering, an extraordinary digital transformation is taking place. Spearheaded by Dr Richard Chidzonga, with the ingenuity of Rogerant Tshibangu (lecturer) and Sibongiseni Masondo (industrial technician), MUT has launched a groundbreaking mobile platform that’s capturing national attention: The Camp Comm App.
What began as a departmental communication tool has rapidly evolved into a powerful institutional platform, designed, built, and scaled by MUT students themselves. This is not only a triumph for campus life but a testament to MUT’s strategic focus on innovation, research, and technology-driven education.
The Camp Comm App was born from a visionary idea: to solve the persistent challenge of fragmented communication between staff and students. Instead of emails lost in inboxes and outdated notice boards, students now have one seamless mobile app for:
- Instant academic updates and alerts;
- Module-specific communication between lecturers and students;
- Consolidated timetables, events, and announcements; and
- Interactive tools for campus events (like real-time voting and games).
Developed using Flutter and Firebase and supported by seed funding from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the project became a real-world innovation lab. A team of five Electrical Engineering students gained hands-on experience in app development, software testing, operational workflows, and entrepreneurship.
What truly sets Camp Comm apart is its scalability and impact. What started as an internal pilot quickly became an institution-wide platform, gaining momentum with every release:
- Successfully used for the 2024 MUT Year-End Staff Function, enabling live engagement;
- Became the official app for the 2024 WIPO Summer School, proving its professional event capacity;
- Facilitated academic stream selection over three semesters, transforming administrative efficiency;
- Earned a R500,000 investment from TIA and interest from commercial partners; and
- Featured at the 2025 Durban Business Fair, attracting interest from other institutions.
The development team is now eyeing a R1.5 million funding round to strengthen cybersecurity features and scale the app nationally, positioning it as a leading solution for digital transformation in higher education.
Camp Comm is not just popular; it is effective. With 1,000+ active installs across Android, iOS, and Huawei, and high engagement rates during academic events, the app has become a trusted part of student life. Its low uninstall rate reflects its consistent value, while daily classroom usage showcases how deeply it is integrated into teaching and learning at MUT.
Dr Chidzonga, the proud Head of Department, captures the heart of the movement: “It is more than just an app; it is a living example of what MUT can build, scale, and export to the world.” Tshibangu, one of the project’s originators, adds: “We wanted to empower students through innovation. What we got in return was a product that now empowers the entire institution—and soon, possibly the country.”
This project is a shining reflection of MUT’s Strategic Goal 2: driving excellence in research, innovation, and engagement. It shows that with the right support, mentorship, and belief in student potential, MUT is not only producing graduates—it is shaping leaders, creators, and changemakers.
The Camp Comm App is no longer just a communication tool; it is a symbol of what happens when academia meets ambition—and when innovation is rooted in local talent with global potential.
As Camp Comm looks ahead to expansion and national rollout, one thing is clear: MUT is on the move, building a future where student innovation becomes institutional transformation.
Great things are happening at Mangosuthu University of Technology—and the world is starting to take notice.
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Kindly cite Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director: Marketing and Communications