After two successful event in Lagos, Nigeria in February 2013 and 2014, Social Media Week (SMW) is finally making its way to Johannesburg South Africa for the first time this September.

With over 25 million active users across different social media platform, South Africa is the most connected country on a continent where access to electricity and internet is a major challenge. By virtue of its great media and communications infrastructure, large social media audience and expanding start-up scene the south Africa boosts one of the highest growth in internet users.

It is estimated that there are 9.4 million active Facebook users in South Africa, 7.4 million active Mxit users, 5.5 million Twitter users, 2.7 million registered LinkedIn users, 1.1 million 2go users, 680,000 active Instagram users, 466 828 active Google+ users and 1.5-million account views each for the top 200 YouTube users.

With these kind of numbers it was a just a matter of time before the SMW organizers, who have hosted numerous such events across world’s 26 major cities since 2009, settled on Johannesburg to host the second SMW event in Africa.

“Social Media Week is designed to facilitate a series of conversations where different sectors can interact and interface to devise fresh and innovative solutions for their unique needs, challenges and opportunities,” Anne Shongwe, CEO of Afroes and chairperson of the advisory board for SMW Johannesburg said in a statement.

The event, which will debut in Johannesburg from September 22-26, 2014, will seek to put a localized spin on the global theme ‘The Future of Now: Always On, Always Connected’ and will attract leading business leaders, entrepreneur, innovators, brands and organizations from a cross section of industries including technology, entertainment, Art, real estate and Agribusiness.

DigiSense, the host of SMW Johannesburg, has now opened the platform for all interest participants to apply for various segment of the event including; hosting an event, speaking engagements and most importantly partnering with the organizers to make the event happen.

The submissions which run until July 18 can adopt a variety of formats including keynotes, panels, fireside chats, networking mixers, virtual hangouts, hack-a-thons, master classes and more.

There are also opportunities for volunteers, sponsors and in-kind partners who wish to take part in the production of Social Media Week Johannesburg. More information on this can be found on the official SMW Johannesburg Website.

“We look forward to exploring just how much our young democracy can achieve by incorporating this model of partnership and co-creation in both how we live and do business,” Shongwe Added.