In 2013 global technology company IBM opened its first African research lab and 12th in the world in East Africa's capital city Nairobi, Kenya.

At the time of the launch the technology giant said Kenya's research lab would be geared to help develop and deploy innovative information technology applications to tackle Africa's so called challenges in areas such as water and sanitation, energy, public procurement inefficiencies and traffic jams.

According to IBM the lab would be set to focus on three major areas that include ICT skills training, urban development and planning, and the digitisation of public services through e-governance solutions.

The launch of the research lab in Kenya was the first of such facilities IBM was planning to launch on the continent.

And on Friday last week at a media briefing the technology giant announced that the second research lab in Africa would be opened in South Africa's economic hub Johannesburg.

The research lab, which is set to be located in Braamfontein is slated to be opened at the beginning of April 2015.

Gavin Pieterse, executive director at IBM South Africa said, "IBM's investment through the years is an example of their commitment to the region."

Pieterse announced that IBM would be making a R700 million investment in South Africa over a 10-year period focused creating a skills pool for the country, building sustainable businesses, disruptive technologies, cloud, big data and analytics.

He explained that at the heart of the investment is the academic programme, which will see the launch of the research lab in South Africa to be based at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits).

As part of the investment programme IBM plans to work closely with the department of Science and Technology through the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Speaking at the event minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor explained that the partnership with IBM is anchored in the black economic empowerment investment programme of the department of Trade and Industry.

Pandor stated that the programme would involve academic, enterprise development and research components.

"We are pleased that we've entered into a 10-year partnership with IBM South Africa in an ICT research, development, and innovation programme," she said.

"The research arm of the programme will be centred... around the establishment of an IBM research lab in Johannesburg beginning in April 2015."

According to senior vice president of IBM Solutions Portfolio and Research Dr. John Kelly III IBM chose South Africa as the next location to launch its second research lab on the continent based on three things.

The first is technical talent, the second is a need for partnerships with universities and governments, and the third is determining if there are big problems and challenges that require innovative solutions, Kelly explained.

"We decided yes there are tremendous opportunities here in organisations, in smart mining, healthcare and the SKA project," he said.

Kelly added, "The recipe was right to bring IBM research to South Africa."

South Africa joins IBM's research portfolio network of 12 research labs around the world with more than 3500 researchers.

The South African research team will be led by Dr. Solomon Assefa, formerly a research scientist at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Centre in Yorktown Heights in New York.