Obsidian Systems, a South African open-source technology services company that has worked with Red Hat technologies for more than twenty years, has achieved Red Hat Specialized Partner status for Server/Cloud OS, making it the only partner on the African continent to hold that designation. The certification recognizes partners that have built verified depth in defined areas of the Red Hat portfolio, backed by formal training, certification and validated services capability.
The Server/Cloud OS specialization applies to Red Hat Enterprise Linux and sits alongside Obsidian's Mission Critical Automation specialization, which the company earned earlier in 2026. Together the two designations connect the operating system layer with the automation tooling required to manage enterprise environments at scale.
Muggie van Staden, CEO of Obsidian Systems, described the decision to pursue the certifications:
"Our relationship with Red Hat goes back many years, and we know that history alone does not prepare a team for what customers need now. The infrastructure our customers run today looks very different from the environment of even a few years ago. We made a conscious decision to invest in the training and certifications that would keep our people close to the technology and ready to solve the problems customers are bringing to us."
Van Staden also addressed what the designation should mean in practice for customers:
"We see certification as evidence that our people have put in the work. It should be visible in the quality of the advice customers receive and in how well their systems are implemented and supported. Being the only Red Hat partner in Africa with this specialisation is something we are proud of. The real test is how customers experience that capability."
