The Angle Podcast

• EP 29 | Building the Open Metaverse from Africa– Rick Treweek on Avatars, Worlds & Art

  In this episode of The Angle, we talk to Rick Treweek, a Cape Town-based immersive artist and technologist best known as MetaRick, about what it means to build meaningful digital spaces in an often overhyped VR ecosystem. From early game development to pioneering virtual performances in Uncanny Alley, Rick has helped position South Africa within the global immersive media landscape — including a nomination at the Raindance Immersive Awards. We explore the tension between open creativity and corporate ownership of platforms, the unique cultural barriers facing African creators, and why avatars might offer more human intimacy than social media ever could. Rick also reflects on the burnout of building VR without funding, his work with Eden Labs, and how experimental theatre can thrive in virtual spaces if we let it. If you care about creative technology, digital freedom, or storytelling beyond the screen, this one’s for you. Chapter Timecodes: 00:00 – Intro & Rick’s VR persona 02:00 – Growing up offline and discovering tech late 04:00 – What is Uncanny Alley? 06:30 – Collaborating with Ferryman Collective for Raindance 09:00 – Storytelling as resistance in the metaverse 11:00 – Ownership, open-source tools & platform risks 14:00 – Building South Africa’s VR community (MVC SA) 18:00 – Cultural gaps: avatars, adoption & funding 22:00 – The metaverse hype cycle (and crash) 25:00 – What’s holding African VR back 27:00 – Electric South & the importance of immersive labs 30:00 – Eden Labs & curating immersive exhibitions 34:00 – Translating Mary Sibande’s work into VR 38:00 – Preserving & archiving digital worlds 41:00 – Why old VR works disappear & can’t be replayed 45:00 – Building therapeutic worlds (for autistic kids) 49:00 – What it takes to build in VR (Unity, Unreal, budgets) 52:00 – VR as social media with human intimacy 55:00 – Final thoughts & MetaRick’s links #VRTheatre, #ImmersiveStorytelling, #VirtualReality, #RaindanceImmersive, #OpenMetaverse, #DigitalPerformance, #SouthAfricanCreators, #TheAnglePodcast, #MetaRick, #CreativeTechnology YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP 28 | On the Metaverse Stage - Marinda Botha on VR Theatre and Storytelling

  In this episode of The Angle, we talk to South African actor and immersive performer Marinda Botha about her journey from traditional theatre and voice acting to global VR stages like Raindance and SXSW. With more than two decades in stage performance, Marinda is now one of the leading voices in live virtual theatre — a niche within a niche — where actors perform in immersive digital spaces like Resonite and VRChat. We explore the evolution of her career, the technical realities of putting on a virtual show, and the philosophical tension between access, liveness, and preservation. From Alien Rescue to Symbiosis/Dysbiosis, Marinda unpacks the craft of creating interactive storytelling worlds — and what’s needed for this work to thrive in South Africa. Whether you're into VR, performance, or just curious about the future of live entertainment — this is a must-listen. Chapters / Timecodes: 00:00 – Intro & Marinda’s background 03:45 – From theatre to VR: how it started 06:10 – Alien Rescue: 100+ live shows in VR 09:30 – The process: scripting, worldbuilding, blocking 13:10 – Platforms: why she works in Resonite 15:30 – Audience reactions & what immersion really feels like 18:40 – Can VR Theatre ever be financially sustainable? 22:00 – Theatre vs. VR: coexistence, not competition 25:00 – Discoverability and archiving in VR 28:30 – The case for collaboration with movie theatres 30:10 – Access, hardware, and the African context 32:00 – Advice for South African creators 34:45 – Streaming podcast episodes inside virtual worlds? 35:30 – What’s next: Raindance, SXSW & beyond #VRTheatre, #ImmersiveStorytelling, #VirtualReality, #RaindanceImmersive, #LivePerformance, #CreativeTechnology, #Resonite, #DigitalTheatre, #TheAnglePodcast, #SouthAfricanCreators YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP 27 | How to Build a Startup That Fixes the System — Brendan Fernandez Shows How

  In this episode of The Angle, we speak with Brendan Fernandez, founder of Grand African Innovative Technologies, about the realities of building digital tools for the public good. His work spans civic tech, industrial AI, and IoT but it’s grounded in a belief that solving local problems can be profitable, scalable, and impactful. We explore how he launched South Africa’s first digital landfill monitoring system, how he’s using predictive maintenance tech in the mining sector, and how his startup has grown from a solo hustle into a multi-project business that still keeps its public mission intact. Brendan also reflects on: Why working with government is frustrating but necessary What it really takes to survive as a founder in South Africa Why civic tech needs to get out of the pilot trap How small interventions like digitizing landfill data can unlock major budget savings It’s a conversation about grit, trust, and building useful technology in a country that desperately needs it. Chapters and Timecodes: 0:00 – Intro & “Doing Well by Doing Good” 2:00 – What Grand African Innovative Technologies Does 5:00 – Building Alone and Bringing in Talent 8:30 – How Government Grants Helped Them Start 11:00 – COVID-19 Contact Tracing Innovation 14:30 – Civic Tech & Social Impact: Why It Matters 18:00 – Youth Innovation Gaps & Access Barriers 21:00 – Smart City Challenge & Piloting with Pick It Up 25:00 – Building a Landfill Data System 33:00 – Automating Waste Billing and Fighting Revenue Loss 40:00 – Environmental “Angels” and Recycling Realities 48:00 – The High Cost of Delayed Government Payments 52:00 – Applying Tech to Mining: Predictive Maintenance & AI 1:00:00 – Working with OEMs and Building Relationships 1:05:00 – Advice for Entrepreneurs: Don’t Give Up #CivicTech #SouthAfricaStartups #DigitalInnovation #GovTech #SmartCities #AIinAfrica #SocialImpact #EntrepreneurshipZA #TheAnglePodcast #TechForGood YouTube · Substack

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• EP26 | No Bank, No Problem - How This App Is Changing Street Payments

  Can tech help formalize the informal economy? In this episode of The Angle Podcast, we sit down with tech founder Xolile Xaba, who built the "Car Park" and "Car Park Payments" apps—tools designed to help users locate their cars and seamlessly tip car guards. Xolile shares his journey from coding his first app in just two weeks (which shot to #1 on Google Play) to tackling logistical challenges like onboarding informal workers without bank accounts. We dive into the mechanics of his app, the ethics of digital payments, and how technology can elevate and legitimise overlooked sectors. Topics Covered: -Building a top-ranking app with zero capital -Creating financial tools for car guards -The challenges of onboarding in the informal sector -Why scaling isn’t just technical—it’s social -Navigating compliance, funding, and fintech ethics Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Meet Xolile Xaba 02:00 – Creating the Car Park app 05:00 – The birth of Car Park Payments 08:30 – Logistics: bank accounts, onboarding, QR codes 13:00 – Scaling challenges and mall partnerships 18:00 – The 80/20 revenue model 22:00 – Funding: the right money vs. bad money 30:00 – Xolile’s journey from BCom Law to tech 36:00 – Lessons from building a news app 43:00 – Formalising the informal sector 52:00 – Compliance issues and app store policies 56:00 – Final reflections and advice to developers #Fintech #AfricanInnovation #InformalEconomy #TechForGood #StartupStories #CarParkPayments #MobileApps #DigitalInclusion #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP25 | Digital Colonialism & Civic Tech | Power, Platforms, Policy

  How much of South Africa’s digital future is really in its own hands? And what happens when civic tech depends on foreign platforms? In this closing episode of The Angle’s civic tech series, we speak with Gabriella Razzano, Executive Director at OpenUp and a leading voice in digital rights, governance, and civic innovation. From digital colonialism to the realities of data extractivism, Gabriella breaks down the geopolitical forces that shape civic space — from platform dependence to investment bias. We talk about what African innovation actually looks like, how to build meaningful community tech, and why data isn’t neutral—it’s power. We explore: -Why less than 1% of global AI investment reaches Africa -The difference between owning data and extracting value from it -Why revenue-driven civic tech is needed to build strong institutions -How the G20 and BRICS influence Africa’s regulatory future -The power of context, not code, in building civic products that last This is a thought-provoking, high-level conversation that brings the entire series full circle—from local innovation to global influence. This is part of a limited podcast series titled “The Digital Future of South Africa – Navigating Power, Policy, and Progress” in association with the Wits School of Governance, Tayarisha, and the Civic Tech Innovation Network. 00:00 – Intro: Digital power, global rivalry & civic space 02:00 – What is digital colonialism? 05:00 – Data extractivism & Big Tech’s role in Africa 09:00 – China vs. US: Competing tech models 12:00 – Where SA’s policy model fits (or doesn’t) 16:00 – Why owning data ≠ using data 20:00 – Platform dependence and shrinking civic space 23:30 – Reimagining civic tech from the grassroots 27:00 – Tech’s role in enabling (not replacing) civic action 30:00 – Opportunities for young civic tech creators 33:00 – The real investment problem in African innovation 36:00 – Revenue-first vs. grant-funded models for civic tech 40:00 – South Africa in the G20 and BRICS: Influence or inertia? 43:00 – Final thoughts on African digital sovereignty #DigitalGovernance #CivicTech #AfricaDigitalFuture #TechAndPolicy #DigitalInclusion #InnovationInAfrica #PlatformPower #SmartCitiesAfrica #DataSovereignty #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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