Alberton author aims to change people’s lives through his writing

Mthokozisi Nkosi (39) is proof that success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

Mthokozisi is an Alberton resident and selling author who grew up poor but became a meaningful individual regardless. He has lived in Ekurhuleni for at least 24 years and still looks forward to more years because he believes the place has many beautiful things to offer.

He graduated from four tertiary institutions – the University of South Africa, Bidvest Edge, Global Maritime Legal Solutions and Google Certification – and holds at least five qualifications.

His first visit to Alberton was in Brackenhurst in the late 1990s to visit his mother, who worked as a domestic.

Subsequently, he witnessed the love Alberton had to offer and vowed to live in the area as soon as he could.

He is originally from a small community in Mpumalanga called Volksrust, characterised by a lack of resources, and according to him, every chance he got to be out of his home town shaped everything he stands for today.

He said he believes everyone has a distinctive destiny that is as unique as a fingerprint and that the most effective way to accomplish something is to identify what you love and find a way to impart it to others in the form of service, working hard and trusting the universe’s energy to lead you.

“You cannot predict what is around the corner. It could be anything. Alternatively, it could be nothing. You keep placing one foot in front of another, and, eventually, a while later, you look back and realise you have climbed a mountain,” said the author.

Mthokozisi’s upbringing

His grandmother from his paternal side raised him, and they were more than 10 in a single-room mud house.
His grandmother was an alcoholic, and every morning, Mothokozi had to wake up at 05:00 to get her a beer before he could go to school. The nearest illegal liquor store was about 5km away.

“This negatively impacted me because I would always be late for school as the school was also far from where we lived. Apart from this, it also changed my character completely because it brought many anger management issues, lowered my self-esteem and had a bad impact on my academic results,” he said.

On the other hand, his father was an absent dad who worked at a reputable Midrand company. He only returned after 15 years to take his children to live with him.

“We came to Gauteng with my siblings, only to see my father involved with many women, and he introduced every one of them to us. This resulted in me having more anger management issues because this badly affected us as children,” the author said.

However, he said this motivated him to be a better man.

The author’s achievements

The author has won several titles in various competitions.

He won awards for best-researched presentation in the Bidvest Innovation Club awards and the Humorous Speech Contest, also hosted by the Bidvest Innovation Club awards.

“Winning the first position in these awards proved to me everything is possible because I always doubted my capabilities. During this era, I met Veli Ndaba. He changed how I had always viewed myself. I am who I am today because of him and his undying love to help the community,” he said.

This and that

Mthokozisi is a self-published author who wrote five books. Two books have physical copies – Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Start Living Your Dream, and The Imperfect Father.

The other three – The Ultimate Guide to Succeeding in Life, Inspiration to Thrive and Succeed and Take a Risk – can be accessed online.

“As you can see, all my books talk about taking risks and success because I have walked the road myself. I wish to reach everyone who feels like they won’t succeed simply because of their upbringing and what society has painted them to be,” he said.

He is set to publish his sixth book.

To get your copy of the books, contact Mthokozisi Nkosi on 063 423 6846 or mtho@mthokozisinkosi.co.za