Growing up in the late 1950s in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Thabani was fascinated by the cinema vans that were used to promote events and products in the townships. They showed 16MM and 35MM movie clips in broad daylight and ever since then, he has always dreamt of making one himself. Fast-forward nearly six decades later and he has managed to achieve that childhood dream.
Thabani started actively trying to realize this dream in the mid-1980s through researching and experimenting. After many tries and failures, he has managed to build a working prototype, Roots MoVision Mobile Audio-Visual Vehicle, that he is confident can and will hold its own as a technology showpiece.
He used his lifelong experience as one of the pioneers of the mobile disco phenomenon in the mid-1970s that was a social blaze in the southern part of Botswana, fused with his technical training in the auto field and hobbyist experimentation with video, to culminate in this groundbreaking innovation for Botswana. Roots MoVision is a true embodiment of the backyard technology concept and is a proudly Botswana designed and built innovation from his backyard.
As part of their marketing strategy, Thabani and his team have to date undertaken a number of public demonstrations notably at the Airport Junction Mall in Gaborone as well as at the Ideas Expo. They also exhibited at the Consumer Fair where they were awarded the first prize in the Traders’ Category. They have also featured audiovisual material from the Botswana Police Service, Botswana Tourism Organisation amongst others. The Roots MoVision rig is operated by a 3 person crew.
The RootsMo Vision vehicle has the ability to follow target audience where they are, daylight operation of screen avoiding security concerns of nighttime operation, use of video to reduce manpower and cost of campaigns, Hi-Fi audio for 1000 person crowd, satellite hook up facility for broadcast television as well as a portable 4 person stage for MC.
Thabani's innovation is a testament that when you believe in yourself and in the value of what you are building, you will eventually get there even if it takes more than half a century to get there.
The RootsMo Vision team can be contacted on rootsmovision@gmail.com and on 71679271