Sthembele Njobo has become a name synonymous with innovation, digital storytelling, and community upliftment.

In June, he made history by winning the Sunday World Unsung Heroes Award for the second consecutive year in the Science, Tech, Energy and Innovation category.

“Currently, I am the only person to have won the award twice in the same category in the competition’s history,” he said.

Njobo’s success came after submitting his digital portfolio and relying on public votes. Each category had ten candidates, and in both years, he emerged as the top contender.

Rooted in Palm Ridge

Born and raised in Palm Ridge, Njobo describes his upbringing as both challenging and influential.

“Palm Ridge was a fascinating township, but during my primary school years, there were no toilets, no street names, no roads, and no schools. I attended schools in Thokoza, where people used to tease us, calling us farmers.”

Although he excelled in science in high school, Njobo’s passion drew him to media.

“After matric, I decided to pursue media to become the voice of the voiceless and put Palm Ridge on the map. Over time, I realised the dream was bigger than just Palm Ridge – I wanted to connect Ekurhuleni and Soweto.

Now Palm Ridge is known for good things: a magistrate court, academic achievers, and local stars.”
Njobo grew up with both parents and is the second of four siblings. He lost his mother in 2016.

Building a brand against challenges

Despite his achievements, Njobo admits that branding remains a major challenge.

“If you are moving alone, it is not sustainable. I am trying to recruit as many people as possible to expand beyond what I am doing.”

Financial barriers in media also pose difficulties for township entrepreneurs.

“Traditional media requires a lot of budgeting. Fortunately, I was an early adopter of social media. When Facebook was mainly used to connect with high school friends, I saw a gap – a way to communicate with someone from SABC.”

Through strategic use of social media, Njobo built Naugh Media Communications (NMC) into a reputable digital brand. He collaborates with local artists, churches, and NGOs, documenting events and archiving the life of the township.

“Running a Pty company is hard because everything is self-funded. I can operate solo, but growth is limited. Even with my skills, training others doesn’t yield a direct return, but I am happy to share my knowledge.”

A vision for a township media studio

Njobo dreams of owning a fully equipped media studio and training young talent from scriptwriting to acting.

“My long-term goal is a studio. I don’t need money; I need resources and space. Accessing funding has been challenging, even after completing NYDA programs and being part of the City of Ekurhuleni Innovation Hub since 2018.”

Naugh Media Communications: Growing into a movement

Founded in 2016, NMC is a township-based multimedia platform amplifying community stories through podcast production, event coverage, live streaming, and digital storytelling.

Njobo uses these tools to empower youth and township businesses, giving them a digital presence. He also holds a qualification in Public Relations Management from UNISA.

Before establishing NMC, his creative journey included work as a rapper, collaborating with iFani in 2011, as well as roles in event strategy, television production, and digital media entrepreneurship.

Njobo’s work can be followed on Facebook at Naugh Media.Com.

Honours and recognition

Njobo’s impact has earned him multiple accolades:

2025 & 2022: Sunday World Unsung Heroes Award – Science, Tech, Energy and Innovation

2022: SAFA Award – Best Youth Role Model

2022: Top 100 Shining Stars in Africa – Brightest Young Minds Programme

2018: Top 100 Shining Stars in Ekurhuleni

A true unsung hero

The Sunday World Unsung Heroes Awards celebrate young South Africans under 35 who lead change across seven categories.

Njobo’s repeated success highlights his ability to merge creativity, technology, and community upliftment, making his work resonate far beyond Palm Ridge.