Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
A CLASS clown’s ability to make his classmates laugh has turned into a growing TikTok following for Herentals College learner Romeo Ngwenya, popularly known as Skhulu2.0 or Saboi.
The Form Four learner has carved a niche for himself on TikTok through comedy skits, particularly relatable content drawn from everyday experiences.
Romeo, who has about 18 000 followers, started creating content in April last year after a teacher encouraged him to take his natural comedic talent to social media.
“I started posting because my teacher suggested I should do so because I was a class clown. I usually create comedy skits, relatable ones,” he said.
His rise on the platform has seen some of his videos attract significant engagement, although Romeo said it was difficult to single out one particular video that performed the best.
“I can’t name the videos that got the most engagement. I think people liked them because they related to them,” he said.
However, he has one video that remains particularly close to his heart.
Created in January, the skit revolves around a character named Saboi stealing at a funeral, with Romeo saying the video stands out because of the creativity he put into it.
“Yes, I have a favourite video. I created it in January and it was about Saboi stealing at a funeral. It’s special to me because I was very creative in that TikTok video,” he said.
Romeo said his content is also driven by a desire to inspire people to believe in their dreams despite criticism and doubt from others.
“What inspires me is to show people that dreams do come through because there are still doubters out there,” he said.
Despite his growing popularity, the young content creator said a lack of financial support remains one of the major challenges faced by emerging creators.
“The challenges that I face as a local creator are having no sponsors or brands that support upcoming creators,” he said.
His growing popularity has nevertheless surprised some of his friends, while his family has remained supportive of his work.
“My friends are still shocked that I’m one of the frequently trending characters on TikTok.
My family supports me, but not physically,” he said.
TikTok has also opened doors for Romeo beyond social media, including opportunities to work at functions and promote products or services.
“TikTok has opened many opportunities, like getting hired at functions or being called to advertise things,” he said.
One of the phrases that has become associated with his content is “Zama ukulunga”, which he says originated from his neighbourhood before he introduced it to his TikTok audience.
“‘Zama Ukulunga’ is a phrase we liked to say in my hood. Then I introduced it on TikTok and boom, people liked it,” he said.
While content creation can be demanding for a school-going teenager, Romeo said he has limited himself to posting three times a week to ensure he can balance his studies with his online activities.
He is determined to continue growing his platform and has no plans of slowing down.
“Yes, I plan to grow even further. We can’t give up now,” he said.
To fellow young people, Romeo has a simple message.
“Be creative, do nice things and remember to enjoy your youth days, but don’t destroy your future,” he said.
