Two members of Darkies in Tech (DIT) have emerged as standout winners at this year’s Nedbank Youth X Awards, reaffirming the growing influence of Africa’s young innovators in redefining technology and opportunity on the continent.
Nkosinathi Temba, founder of Thuto.io, and Sine Shabalala, founder of Oneway Connect, claimed the top two spots at the national awards, securing R200,000 and R110,000 respectively to scale their ventures.
Their success underscores the energy and creativity shaping South Africa’s digital economy and highlights the rise of grassroots innovation built for African realities.
Technology with a Purpose
Oneway Connect, led by Shabalala, is tackling one of Africa’s most persistent challenges, which is unemployment. The platform bridges the gap between employers and job seekers through a transparent, efficient and easy-to-use digital marketplace, making hiring simpler and fairer.
In a region where over 30% of young people are unemployed, Oneway Connect’s solution is a tool of empowerment, giving job seekers visibility and control in a market that often feels impenetrable.
Meanwhile, Thuto.io, founded by Temba, is reimagining the way learning is valued and rewarded. The platform uses gamification and digital finance to make education more engaging. Its virtual currency, Thuto Coin, converts everyday pocket money into a reward system that celebrates academic progress, sports and culture, encouraging holistic student growth.
By aligning learning incentives with digital innovation, Thuto.io is quietly transforming the relationship between young people and education.
A New Generation of Builders
The Nedbank Youth X Awards are designed to honour young entrepreneurs driving innovation and impact across South Africa. This year’s winners represent a new generation of African builder-founders who are not waiting for solutions but creating them.
For Darkies in Tech, a growing community of African innovators and professionals, this recognition is both validation and momentum. The organisation, which supports Black tech founders through mentorship, visibility and collaboration, is fast becoming a hub for Africa’s next wave of changemakers.
“The Nedbank Youth X Awards celebrate young entrepreneurs driving innovation and impact across South Africa,” DIT said in a statement. “This recognition is a testament to the vision, dedication and resilience of these founders and we’re proud to see our DIT members leading the way.”
The Broader Context
Africa’s startup ecosystem continues to attract global attention, with venture funding in the continent’s tech sector crossing $3 billion annually in recent years. Yet, the real story lies beyond the headlines in communities like DIT, where founders share knowledge, resources and courage to solve local problems with global potential.
Initiatives like the Nedbank Youth X Awards do more than recognise achievement; they amplify visibility for underrepresented innovators and catalyse opportunities for scale and partnership. For Temba and Sine, this recognition opens new doors but also amplifies the responsibility to deliver solutions that create meaningful, lasting impact.
As digital connectivity deepens and investor interest rises, founders like those from Darkies in Tech embody a powerful narrative: Africa’s innovation story is not one of catching up, but of creating anew.
The success of Thuto.io and Oneway Connect signals a broader shift from dependency to design, from aspiration to execution. These entrepreneurs are not just participating in Africa’s future, they are building it.
