Local taxi driver has big dreams
Transporting you from point A to point B with a bright smile and friendly demeanor was not Iden "Mageza" Ramachela's dream job when he matriculated in 2007
POLOKWANE – However, he decided to make the best of his situation and he manages to take care of his family even if things didn’t go as planned.
“I wanted to study veterinary science when I matriculated in 2007. Unfortunately, my father who was the sole breadwinner for our family, passed away that same year and I could not afford to study and had to help my family generate an income,” he explains.
Mageza says he quickly learned that his family will never be able to fulfill his dream of becoming a veterinarian and he moved to Seshego from Magofe, where he managed to find a job at a car wash.
“After several months, I managed to save up enough money to attend driving school and soon managed to pass my driver’s licence. After that I worked odd jobs and in 2009 I had my big break in the taxi industry.”
He tells Review Bonus that he has been in the industry ever since and has not looked back because he loves his job and it pays the bills, so it is a win-win situation for him.
“The job is not always easy and people tend to get short tempered in the mornings because they are all in a hurry to get to their destinations. They sometimes lash out at the driver due to the frustration of having to wait in queues to get into the taxi, but the most important thing for the driver to do in situations like these is to stay calm and assure the passengers that they will reach their destinations on time.”
The father of one explained that regardless of all the challenges, he enjoys meeting and interacting with different people on a daily basis. He greatly respects his passengers and always tries to keep them happy because without them he would have no business. He is also very thankful to his employer, Paul Moloise, with whom he has been working for six years.
Despite loving his job and the people he works with, Mageza said he would still love to go back to school and fulfill his initial dream of becoming a veterinarian.
