Former taxi driver is now a teacher at Ebony Park Primary

Pelican Khumalo is now a teacher at Ebony Park Primary School after he had worked six years in the taxi industry as a driver while studying.

He graduated last year in November with a BEd degree from the University of South Africa (Unisa). He used to wake up as early as 3am as a taxi driver.

Born in KwaZulu-Natal, Khumalo found a second home at Ivory Park when his parents relocated to Johannesburg in 2003 where he attended Impophoma Primary School (now PS Tsosane Primary School).

Later he attended Eqinisweni Secondary School were he completed his matric in 2010.

In 2011 he searched for spaces for enrollment at Universities, but he had no luck, so he decided to get his driving licence.

In 2012 he applied at universities again, but was declined. He then decided to seek employment as a taxi driver, which he’s been doing for the past six years.

Khumalo says in 2013 he did a Higher Certificate on Teaching Adult Basic Education.

“In 2013 I was accepted at Unisa for BSc in Education. Many people were inspired by my story once I completed my studies. On November 12, 2019, I graduated with a BSC in Education and now I’m a qualified teacher of the intermediate and senior phases and I can teach learners from Grades Four to Nine.

“What people don’t know is how I got the time to study while I was a taxi driver. Every day, I would wake up early for work and after the rush hour I would go to the Randburg Library to study.”

Khumalo was working between Ivory Park Extension Two and Randburg routes. Both his parents remain unemployed so he paid his tuition fees with his earnings.

“My parents didn’t know I was studying. I told them a week before my graduation,” said Khumalo.

“When you want something, you fight for it. I was inspired by my former teacher and I worked towards that dream. You can’t change your background, but you can change your future,” he said.

Two months after he graduated, the former taxi driver was gifted a brand-new Mecer laptop by Amaqhawe Business Solutions (ABS), in partnership with the Ivory Park Taxi Association (IPTA), led by the IPTA chairperson, Johannes Mkhonza.

Mkhonza, on behalf of the taxi association, was able to refund Khumalo every cent of his tuition fees for the past five years. This came as a surprise to Khumalo, but he was joyful.

“The IPTA has a programme were they award learners bursaries to go and study courses of their choice. With me it was different because I studied independently. They then called me to refund me for everything.

“They are also now sponsoring me with sporting kits at the school I am currently teaching.

“I would like to thank by former taxi boss Moses Shabalala for a wonderful six years working with him, for that period we never fought and he never needed to fire me.

“I apologised to my family for not telling them I was studying all along, but they hold no grudge about it. They were proud when we entered the graduation centre. Until then I was not able to believe it myself.”

“Working with learners is not easy, they are very observant of what you do and how you do it. Once you mislead them you misled the nation,” Khumalo said.