Gearhouse South Africa has taken delivery of two new DiGiCo Quantum 338 digital mixing consoles, supplied by DWR Distribution, bringing its total stock to four within the group. The latest units have gone straight to the very enthusiastic Cape Town team, strengthening the branch’s audio department and accommodating international technical riders. The audio team had DiGiCo and L-Acoustics training and everyone’s raring to go!

It’s difficult not to like Jonathan Mathese, Audio and Audio Visual Operations Manager at Gearhouse South Africa’s Cape Town branch. A family man and passionate runner, Jonathan started his career in Gearhouse’s warehouse more than 20 years ago and understands first-hand what it means to build a career from entry level.

Today, his passion lies not only in technical excellence but also in developing the next generation of technicians and creating opportunities for people who may not otherwise have considered a career in the technical live events industry. He shares that passion with colleagues across Gearhouse South Africa, including Charl and Lisa Smit.

“I’m absolutely excited about the new DiGiCos and our patience has been rewarded,” said Jonathan. “I was always pushing for DiGiCo because of its functionality and the importance of standardising across the Gearhouse South Africa branches. We needed that same standard in Cape Town.”

As one of Africa’s leading technical suppliers, Gearhouse South Africa supports many of the major international touring productions, so having the right equipment available in-house makes sense. The Quantum 338 is respected for its clarity and reliability and is built for demanding live sound applications, from touring acts to major festivals and theatre productions worldwide. The Quantum 338’s workflow was a key attraction for the team, while its offline editor lets engineers build, prepare and edit show files away from the console for more efficient pre-production.

Soon after delivery, the Gearhouse Cape Town team received training from DWR’s Kyle Robson on DiGiCo and Richard Smith on L-Acoustics, another recent investment by the company. “It was brilliant, because as you know, the DiGiCo product range is vast and constantly developing,” said Jonathan. “Having the training and support immediately after delivery was excellent. We now have an agreement with DWR that this will be an annual occurrence, which excites me a lot. Then we will produce a conveyor belt of techs, starting at entry level and with training, resulting in solid technicians.”

Jonathan firmly believes in giving back because he feels he has so much to be thankful for. “People don’t know there is an opportunity in this space. I’m glad we can open doors to them through the Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy, where we really are touching the lives of people who may never have had the opportunity.”

The Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy offers 12-month annual learnership for unemployed youth in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban that grants successful candidates a National Certificate in Live Events Technical Production at NQF Level 4.

“I think it’s wonderful that Charl Smit, General Manager of Gearhouse South Africa, jumped in and made the investment,” says Kyle Robson from DWR Distribution. “Gearhouse South Africa took delivery of their first two consoles in 2024 for the Johannesburg branch and this latest addition is specifically to build up the quantity in Cape Town, where there has been strong demand.  It was amazing spending time with the guys. I’m glad they enjoyed the training! Seeing their passion made it so special.”

For Gearhouse South Africa, the investment helps them remain relevant, competitive and technically capable in an increasingly demanding marketplace. “The after-sales support from DWR is excellent and having access to that level of knowledge and technical support adds significant value,” Jonathan concluded.

With four Quantum 338 consoles now within the Gearhouse South Africa, combined with continued investment in training and developing technicians, the company is well positioned to remain relevant, competitive and technically capable in an increasingly demanding technical live events marketplace.