On 10 April 2025, Huawei South Africa successfully hosted the Huawei South Africa OptiX Club 2025 at its Johannesburg headquarters, welcoming over 150 industry professionals, innovators, business leaders, and policymakers. Themed “Accelerate F5G-A, Boost Intelligence,” the annual event served as a premier platform for optical industry leaders to explore the critical role of fiber technology in enabling next-generation digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI).
The event, held at Huawei Office Park, in Woodmead showcased the latest advancements in optical network technologies through engaging keynote presentations, solution launches, partner and customer success stories, and live demos.
Mr. York Ning, Director of South Africa Enterprise MKT & Solution Department, opened the event with a powerful message: “No Fiber, No AI.” He emphasized that in the coming decade, AI and fiber would become inseparable in building intelligent, high-performing digital infrastructure. Mr. York reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to working closely with South African partners and customers to co-create a brighter, all-optical future.
Andile Godfrey Tsibiyane, Optical Network Solutions Architect for Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa, unveiled Huawei’s latest F5G Advanced (F5G-A) solutions, including cutting-edge campus, fgOTN, and backbone technologies. His presentation stressed that optical connectivity and sensing are the foundational pillars of industry intelligence, driving trends such as Fiber-in, Copper-out, and fgOTN-in, SDH-out. Huawei’s innovations are accelerating digital transformation by introducing high-performance, cost-effective, and sustainable optical solutions.
Following this, Nimrod Smit, Senior Product Manager for Huawei Southern Africa, explained how Huawei’s all-optical network solution enables ISPs to deliver ultimate gigabit-level experiences, helping them grow both B2H (Business-to-Home) and B2B markets. He emphasized that in the gigabit era, user experience is the ultimate competitive edge, and Huawei’s F5G offering empowers ISPs to meet those demands.
A standout session came from Ziki Wang, Senior Optical Solution Expert, who highlighted the transformative potential of Huawei’s Fiber-To-The-Office (FTTO) solution. She presented the solution as a greener and more scalable alternative to traditional networks, offering up to 30% savings in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and energy use, while being future-proof for 30 years.
Two South African companies took the stage to share how Huawei’s solutions have shaped their growth. Alan Prior, CEO of Switchcom Distribution, presented the successful deployment of Huawei’s MiniFTTO solution, which has extended fiber across campuses and helped small and medium enterprises (SMEs) thrive. Dwayne Kloppers, Managing Director of Deltrolux, reflected on their long-standing partnership with Huawei, including building one of Huawei’s first Smart Warehouse in South Africa and supporting projects across the continent.
In an increasingly complex security landscape, Stan Fu, CCTV Solution Expert, introduced HOLOWITS, Huawei’s intelligent video surveillance system. He explained how it provides multi-dimensional awareness by combining high-definition video capture with real-time AI analysis to identify threats quickly and accurately.
The final technical session, presented by Comfort Nthabiseng Mathobela, focused on optical fiber sensing, a powerful solution for critical infrastructure such as railways, airports, and large campuses. The technology allows for instant detection and pinpoint location of intrusions, enhancing perimeter protection through real-time data and AI-driven alerts.
The event concluded with a networking lunch and live demos leaving participants inspired and energised by the insights shared throughout the day. The Huawei South Africa OptiX Club 2025 not only highlighted the latest advancements in optical networking but also reinforced Huawei’s leadership in driving Africa’s digital economy forward.
As the demand for intelligent, AI-ready infrastructure continues to grow, Huawei’s message was clear: fiber is the key to unlocking Africa’s intelligent future, and they are ready to build it, hand in hand with their partners.
//Staff writer
