First-year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Tumelo Mokoena was recently named among South Africa’s top 10 innovators at the 2025 YouthX Nedbank Awards for his work on SafeGuard Technologies, an initiative that uses autonomous drones to enhance community safety.

For Mokoena, who grew up in Pretoria and now studies at Stellenbosch University (SU), the honour represents far more than personal achievement. “It honestly feels amazing and very humbling,” he says. “Being recognised among the top 10 YouthX innovators was a big moment, not just for me, but for everyone who has supported and believed in SafeGuard Technologies. It showed that our idea has real potential and that young people can build meaningful solutions that make a difference in South Africa.”

The idea for SafeGuard Technologies was born out of a personal experience that reshaped Mokoena’s understanding of safety. “Last year, a friend of mine fell victim to crime, and it really hit home how vulnerable we all are, especially as students and young people living away from family,” he explains.

Around that time, Mokoena noticed a Stellenbosch Network Social Innovation Challenge calling for local problem-solving ideas - the perfect spark for a tech-driven solution. He and his collaborators began developing a proactive, AI-powered response system that uses autonomous drones to respond instantly when an incident occurs.

“While tools like security apps, CCTV cameras and patrols each play a role, they have limitations,” says Mokoena. “We wanted to create something faster and more proactive. Our drones can provide live visuals and support quicker response, helping protect multiple communities at once.”

Mokoena credits much of his early progress to his experience at SU, where his studies in Electrical and Electronic Engineering have begun equipping him with the foundational technical knowledge and problem-solving mindset needed to explore innovative ideas. A panic bracelet combined with a mobile app, enhanced with drone technology, forms the basis of his concept to provide swift and effective responses to emergencies. “My time at Stellenbosch has already been eye-opening,” he says. “It’s not just about learning how systems work or how to programme sensors; it’s about developing a way of thinking that encourages creativity and collaboration. Being surrounded by mentors and other entrepreneurs helped me see that SafeGuard could grow beyond just a student project into something real and scalable.”

The next phase for SafeGuard Technologies is already underway. The team is developing their first fully functional prototype, a Tier 1 MVP of their autonomous drone response system, which they plan to demo before the end of 2025.

“This demo will be a major milestone,” says Mokoena. “It will show that our technology works in real-world conditions. From there, we are looking to pilot deployments and partnerships in 2026 with residential estates, complexes and small businesses.”

His long-term vision is ambitious yet clear: “We want to build a connected network of autonomous drone responders that communities across South Africa can share to make safety more affordable, accessible and intelligent.”

At his core, Mokoena is motivated by a love of innovation and a desire to use technology for impact. “I’ve always been curious about how things work - from electronics to systems - and finding smarter ways to solve everyday problems,” he says. “For me, it’s about continuing to grow as an innovator and pushing African technology forward.”