Siyabonga Magwaza, a 19-year-old matriculant who earned seven distinctions while working as a server, has motivated his coworkers to pursue higher education.
The Pedros Verulam employee from Amaotana, KwaZulu-Natal, was given with a R10,000 gift in recognition of his efforts as an extraordinary worker and student.
He worked weekends and holidays at Pedros to support his family financially. In November 2022, he began working full-time.
Magwaza has been accepted to study law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2023 after raising the bar.
Pedros Shikar Singh, the enthusiastic owner of the food franchise, remarked, “Siyabonga’s work ethic is exceptional; he is a generalist who strives to master every duty and is always punctual. His actions have inspired other colleagues to pursue further education.
“I did not give Siya the money as a token of appreciation; I did so because all employees are like family.” At Pedro’s, we have a tremendous culture of recognition, and because his accomplishments were extraordinary despite the circumstances, we had to honor him in accordance with our culture.
“I will accommodate his studies and study schedule and offer assistance and direction throughout his pursuit of a law degree.”
Magwaza stated in an interview with Sunday World that growing up with only one income to support the family presented many obstacles. While his father struggled to find a job and his mother was ill, his grandma, age 69, was hired as a housekeeper.
He stated that it was difficult for him to concentrate on his schoolwork in his crime-ridden neighborhood. In addition to substance abuse and teen pregnancy, his neighborhood is plagued by further social problems, but he persevered.
“We were not exposed to or motivated by role models in our neighborhood. I hope that my footsteps have inspired and motivated future students,” he added, adding that he used books and study materials from a former student who also helped him with stationery.
Magwaza also praised his professors at Siphesihle Secondary School, stating that they encouraged him by providing study materials.
“The Class of 2022 listened when I shared my knowledge with them. In addition to doing extra classes without the supervision of our teachers, we also made sure to attend extra classes led by our instructors.
He expressed gratitude for the assistance he received from his employer.
“I am extremely appreciative of the support Pedro’s given me; they proved to be a beautiful family that I lacked. Throughout my matric journey, the management at Pedro’s was incredibly encouraging and offered sound guidance.
Magwaza intends to assist other students in his community by providing tutoring services. He continued, “I would also like to make information accessible to my community, as this was one of my greatest obstacles.”
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