Jobe, 28 - Energy Engineer

“Jobe is actually my clan name. My full name is Nkanyiso ‘Jobe’ ka’Mthethwa — a proud member of the Mthethwa Paramountcy. We were among the first people to trade ivory and animal skins with the Portuguese back in the 1800s, so I like to think that’s where my DNA as a leader and entrepreneur comes from.

My father is from a rural village in KwaZulu-Natal called Ncwabakazi, near Hluhluwe. My mother is from Wattville, a township in Benoni. I grew up with my grandmother in that township — that’s where I completed primary school.

I think our childhood as Black South Africans isn’t unique to any one of us. You grow up in a community where everyone faces the same battles, and you learn to find joy in the little that you have. If you can’t afford toy cars, you make them out of wire and paper. If you don’t have a soccer ball, you make one from plastic and string. What we didn’t have materially, we had in love. My brother and I were raised with the care of our parents, grandparents, and community. There was structure. We went to church. There was a sense of purpose and belonging.

During school holidays, we’d visit my father’s homestead in KZN. It was a different life: long-drop toilets, no running water, no electricity. That’s where I learned to improvise. My grandfather had one of the only homes with a small solar setup and a petrol generator. He worked in Johannesburg and would bring back solar inverters, tools, and gadgets. People in the village would pay R5 to charge their phones at his house. His system only powered a few lights, a radio, and basic charging — but looking back, that was my first exposure to renewable energy.

When I was in matric, my father was retrenched. Suddenly, we couldn’t afford electricity. Weeks would pass without power. We used the car battery to charge during the day and lit the house with it at night. I was writing final exams, sleeping late, bathing in cold water. I was angry — but I turned that anger into motivation. I told myself, “You’re going to make it out of this.” And I did. I passed matric with four distinctions. And I made a quiet promise to myself to go back and solve the power issue — not just for us, but for others too.

From a young age, I always knew I wanted to be an engineer. I wanted to design, engineer and create a different kind of future — the kind of future I wished my grandfather had. There was also a man from my church community — Robert Tshabalala. He owned RT Tshabalala Electrical. I used to see his branded trucks around the township — his guys were always up on poles, connecting electricity, installing streetlights, driving cherry pickers. I never even spoke to him back then, but he inspired me. He showed me what was possible. Today, he’s one of our network partners. Life really does come full circle.

After primary school, my parents sent me to a technical high school in Springs. I did well — became head boy, ranked among the top ten, and was often number one or two in my grade. I was also named Tekkie of the Year — basically Student of the Year — for academics, sports, and leadership. After matric, enrolled at Tshwane University of Technology to study Electrical Engineering. My parents could only afford the application fee. My uncle stepped in to pay for my registration and accommodation. In my second year, I fell behind on fees and was financially excluded. I wanted to quit and start a business, but my mother refused. She said, “No. You will get this degree.” She took out a Fundi loan, and later, I received an Eskom bursary that helped me finish. That’s how I became an electrical engineer.

After qualifying, I started working at Eskom. The salary wasn’t much, but I was grateful. At the same time, I started a poultry farm — using my savings to buy chickens, coops, and feed. When my Eskom work-integrated learning programme ended, I ran the farm full-time. It sustained itself, but I eventually hit a ceiling. I wanted to grow, but I needed capital. So, I challenged myself again. I pivoted. I volunteered — unpaid — at a small energy company in Pretoria North. That’s where I was first introduced to renewable energy systems like solar thermal, biogas, and combined heat-and-power gas generators. It opened my eyes. I started seeing the future in it.

Six months later, I joined an energy company in Hartbeespoort — one of the pioneers in Sub-Saharan Africa. They understood energy in a holistic way: heat recovery, solar thermal, and solar photovoltaic system. The Managing Director was often overseas, so I was trusted to run daily operations.It was intense. I became the de facto general manager. But that pressure gave me confidence. I learned how to lead. I learned how to manage systems, finance, people, operations — all of it. how to actually run a business. After three years, I tried to buy shares and restructure the company, but it didn’t work out. So, I left. And that’s when I launched O’wayo Power Energies. Actually, the company had already been registered back in 2018 — I just hadn’t brought it to life yet. The name O’wayo comes from my childhood. Back then, when you wanted to call your friend out to play, you’d whistle outside their house. But my brother, my friend, and I couldn’t whistle — so we’d shout, “O’wayo!” That became our thing. Today, we say O’wayo means “A Call to Action.” Every day, we answer that call. Now, O’wayo Power Energies employs over 30 people. We’ve grown. We’ve struggled. We’ve failed forward.

The hardest part of this journey? Formalising the business — setting up systems, policies, legal structures. And learning how to manage people. That’s not something they teach in engineering school. We’ve learned that the most qualified person on paper isn’t always the best fit. What matters is attitude, values, and heart. Running a business is tough. But we’re a team. We’re a family. We believe in the African spirit of ubuntu. My team’s well-being is my well-being.

I’ve failed more times than I can count. But each time, I’ve gotten back up. I believe in failing forward — learning, adapting, and improving. Today, I’m proud to lead a company that’s powering homes, businesses, clinics, and communities with clean, reliable energy. I’m proud to give back to the same community that helped raise me.

I always say: No one is too rich to receive. And no one is too poor to give. That’s how I live. That’s how I lead. That’s how O’wayo was built.”