It is estimated that there are more than 300,000 amputees in South Africa, many from lower-income households unable to afford quality, if any, prosthetic legs, which can cost upwards of R100,000. This, against the backdrop of a public health system that often lacks resources and has long waiting lists for those in need.

Over seven years ago, Eastern Cape entrepreneur and innovator Zanodumo Godlimpi (below) made it his mission to resolve this problem. His hard work and determination recently paid off when he was named the 2025 EDHE Studentpreneur of the Year at the seventh annual EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity, winning R120 000.

The Walter Sisulu University (WSU) part-time postgraduate student and employee won a further R25 000 in the Academic Research Commercialisation category of the competition.

Godlimpi was rewarded for the design of a cost-effective pneumatic prosthetic foot, an advanced type of prosthetic that uses air pressure (pneumatics) for more powerful and adaptive movement, often mimicking the biomechanics of a natural ankle. The device provides dynamic support, control and energy return, offering a greater range of motion and responsiveness than basic passive feet.

When his name was announced as the winner at the awards ceremony on 26 November outside Johannesburg, Godlimpi says he reacted purely out of instinct.

‘I jumped from my seat and rushed to the stage. That moment captured the overwhelming excitement and disbelief I felt. Even after the ceremony, the feeling didn’t fade. I kept replaying the moment in my mind, trying to make sense of it all. I struggled to sleep because of a persistent adrenaline rush. At one point during the night, I woke up to check whether the trophies were still where I had left them because the win genuinely felt unreal. It was a powerful reminder of how far my journey has come and how meaningful this recognition is.”

The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), a programme of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) administered and implemented by Universities South Africa (USAf), is the custodian of the annual EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity. EDHE is predominantly funded through the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP) of the DHET.

The Intervarsity is a platform designed to identify, recognise and celebrate top student entrepreneurs at South Africa’s 26 public universities. The event has, over the years, enjoyed the support of numerous private sector entities, including the SAB Foundation, which, in 2025, supported the initiative for the sixth year in a row.

Godlimpi explains the uniqueness of his award-winning design.

“The pneumatic prosthetic foot is an artificial foot and ankle that is meant to replace the missing limb for people who have been amputated below the knee. Several prosthetic devices on the market perform the same function. However, these devices have seen limited adoption in Africa due to their complexity, which leads to high costs and low repairability.

“In our pneumatic prosthetic foot, we replaced the electrical motor with a pneumatic system, thereby minimising the use of electrical components.  Furthermore, the components are locally sourced, which significantly reduces the device’s cost and repair time. The innovation is therefore aimed at low and middle-income amputees living in low-resourced settings.”

While studying at the Medicine and Health Sciences faculty at WSU, Godlimpi had to spend time in a public hospital: “I noticed that although the patients fitted with prosthetic devices could walk, they did not simulate the normal way of walking in non-amputees. This difficulty was worse in patients living in rural areas lacking basic infrastructure. They highlighted walking with difficulty up and down slopes, where they felt either pushed backwards, or their knees felt unstable.

“Although adaptive, powered prosthetic devices were available, they were a luxury for our people then, and remain so now. So, in 2018, I started working on a prosthetic foot prototype to address those problems. With my book allowance, I bought a pneumatic cylinder and other components to develop my first model,” he explains.

Encouraged by the promising outcomes, Godlimpi and a colleague applied for funding from the Technology and Innovation Agency, which gave them R485 000 to develop the prototype further. With further help from WSU, he has filed patents in South Africa, China and Europe.

He is working with a team of other bright minds to develop the pneumatic prosthetic foot.

Godlimpi will use his EDHE R120 000 prize money to buy a 3D printer. The funds will also cover travelling costs during the second phase of testing.

“The next phase of testing will include an increased number of participants, both in the laboratory and in the environment where this innovation will be used. These tests are key to validating the performance outcomes of this prototype. In terms of professional development, I am planning to further my studies by doing a PhD, which will not only assist in facilitating research and development of this innovation, but also position me as an expert in this research field.”

So where does he see himself in the next five years?

“Running a company specialising in designing and manufacturing prosthetic devices and components. The current innovation will be segmented into three tiers: a lower tier with fewer features, a middle tier with robust gait adaptation and energy input, and a premium product connected to an AI-powered application for real-time gait parameter tuning, enabling seamless and smooth step-to-step transitions. This strategy will ensure that various people have access to this innovation, and are not prohibited by the price.”

Godlimpi believes that competitions such as the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity are important. They allow emerging innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their work to potential investors, business partners and clients. They also create opportunities for mentorship, networking and access to resources that many young innovators would otherwise not have.

“Beyond funding and visibility, they help validate ideas, build confidence and open doors for collaboration, ultimately accelerating the journey from concept to real-world impact,” he says.

Even though he has lived and breathed designing and building his pneumatic prosthetic foot prototype for the past seven years, he believes that even the most passionate inventor needs downtime: “I go to the gym and sometimes watch soccer; I am an ardent Kaizer Chiefs supporter! I also spend time in the holidays doing carpentry, a skill I taught myself. It unlocks creativity in me and enables me to switch off from the world.”

Godlimpi says he will be eternally grateful for the support he has received to make a meaningful difference in the lives of amputees: “Unwavering support from the WSU Office of Technology Transfer and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has strengthened my work. It also reflects the value of collaboration across institutions. We owe the progress we’ve made to our partnership with the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, [located at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein]. I am open to collaborating with potential partners who share the vision of creating meaningful impact and supporting the commercialisation of this innovation.”

Janine Greenleaf Walker is a contract writer for Universities South Africa.