A young South African inventor has built a robot out of rubbish and scrap metal hoping that his invention will bring him fame and fortune.
20-year-old Mpho Makutu is a creative inventor studying mechanical engineering at Molapo South College, in Soweto and has become quite a sensation after building a miniature robotic crane out of scrap.
“We were surprised to see the kind of talent that Mpho possesses. It was by accident that we saw him on campus displaying a crane that he designed from scrap metal, and then we said this is the kind of talent we are looking for, we just need Mpho to be exposed to the world so that people out there can see what South Africa can produce”, campus manager Sydwell Manthata said.
Makutu has always been fascinated by technology and from a young age started collecting things to build his inventions.
“This is something I love to do because, since I was in primary school, I used to do this stuff of mine. I told myself that one day I want to become the best inventor in South Africa. I am a guy who likes to invent, I am using the recycled materials to build all the stuff that I want to do”, Makutu said.
After collecting components such as drills from old motors, cardboard, and other scrap materials he build his red robotic crane.
“When building this crane I used the soft steel to build the structure, and then after that I started looking for the cardboard boxes, and then covered it and the electrical connections I did go to the scrap yard and buy the conductors to make electrical connections for the remote control”, he added.
Makutu comes from a poor family, but his situation hasn’t hampered his goals.
“My dream is to see myself at a place where they invent, where they give us all the resources and materials so that I can build anything that comes in my mind, that is what is in my heart, that is what I want to achieve in life. I want to make smaller machines and then maybe sell that idea to big companies and then build a big machine that I have created. I want to come up with something new in the world”, Makutu said.
Amongst endless wires and scrap materials Mpho’s inventions are remarkable and he dreams of having his own workshop where he can create new inventions and employ others.
