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Sibiya’s rise from destitution to empowerment advocate

May 13, 2016 3:49 pm by: Category: ENTERTAINMENT, Featured Leave a comment A+ / A-

Vuyo2 (1) (2)NTOKOZO NKABINDE
Pretoria Bureau Chief
PRETORIA – VUYOLWETHU Sibiya was orphaned at a young age, went to school  barefoot and survived on leftovers thrown away by his classmates.

Today, he is living proof how God, determination and courage are the  perfect combination to propel individuals from nonentities to heroes.

The traumatic experiences he endured growing up in a small village in KwaZulu-Natal have transformed him into one of the most prominent figures in his quest to motivate youth to be useful members of society.

At the age of 10, he had lost his parents, leaving him and five sisters  exposed to hunger and poverty.

There was a glimmer of hope when one of his sisters secured a job as a social worker.

As they say, misfortunes come in threes, his sister passed on further exacerbating the child-headed family’s misfortunes.

Such were the hardships he faced he had no choice but to wear girls’ shoes to school.

He had no choice.

“I had to walk barefooted with an empty stomach to school. One day, a Good Samaritan who lived at my village gave me a pair of Buccaneers school shoes,” Sibiya (25) reminisces.

“While it hurt deep down, I had to pretend, at times clowning so other children do not to laugh at me.”

But life was no laughing matter as he would find out when an aunt fetched him to stay in Tembisa.

“Still, things were not easy because she had her three children to cater for and worked piece jobs as a domestic worker. We had to share her two-roomed shack. I remember when it rained, we use to stand with buckets  to prevent water from wetting the furniture and the clothes

“But that did not bother me much because at least, I would eat every day, go to school dressed in a uniform and feeling some motherly love. She was also the first person who bought me a pair of All Stars sneakers. It felt  good because I use to dress from low-cost shops.”

He was to suffer another setback during his high school years at Penelopele Oracle when his aunt lost her job.

“Life went from better to worse. I could not even afford watermelon that was sold at school for a mere R2, I would wait for other pupils to get full and throw it away. I would then pick and eat.”

There was no money to study further when, against all odds, Sibiya passed Matric in 2010.

A taxi owner was about to change his life when a thirsty Sibiya went to a shop to buy a cool drink.

“Moses Matlaila, (may his soul rest in peace), who was also a taxi owner, owned the shop,” he recalls.

“He knew me because he lived around the area. On that day we had a rare
chat and he said he saw potential in me.

“He told me to choose a career and he would pay for me. I chose Journalism and completed my Diploma in 2011.”

The rest is history.

A successful career in journalism has borne a non-governmental  association, Kuzodlula Motivational Tour, which has come in handy to a generation of youth in dire need of motivation.

“I am that kind of a person who likes to see change in the community,” the  inspirational youth advocate says.

“I visit jails and do motivational talk to inspire the youth. I also donate school shoes to disadvantaged children in schools around Tembisa.”

Sibiya, who is also talk show host with a local Christian channel, counts  Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Phuthi Mahanyela the CEO of Shanduka  Groupamong the influential figures he has met as well as DJ SbuLeope, Education head, Panyaza Lesufi, and Pastor Solly Mahlangu as his
inspirations.

His mission has taken him to Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, Swaziland, United States and Zimbabwe, but he remains humble as the boy growing up in the  inferior surroundings in the villages.

“Everything I do comes from the bottom of my heart. I feel the need to be responsible and useful citizen. People were companionate towards me to  reach my dreams. As way of thanking them I am also ploughing back to the community.”

He is philosophical as he looks back at the traumatic days.

“All my bad experience happened for a reason. I believe that it was a plan  from God. No matter where you come from you can be who and whatever you  want.”

Sibiya’s rise from destitution to empowerment advocate Reviewed by on . NTOKOZO NKABINDE Pretoria Bureau Chief PRETORIA - VUYOLWETHU Sibiya was orphaned at a young age, went to school  barefoot and survived on leftovers thrown away NTOKOZO NKABINDE Pretoria Bureau Chief PRETORIA - VUYOLWETHU Sibiya was orphaned at a young age, went to school  barefoot and survived on leftovers thrown away Rating: 0

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