BOPHELONG – What started with a bicycle, a few bags of maize meal, and a determined mother, ended in a PhD and a prestigious lecturing job in Cape Town.
Meet Dr Vusimuzi Makhubela (38), a proud son of Bophelong, who went from humble beginnings helping his mom deliver maize meal to now holding a doctorate in Marketing Management from NorthWest University.
After matriculating in 2005 from Residensia Secondary School, Makhubela faced the harsh reality many township youth know too well. Facing the world with matric results that don’t open university doors, no job, and no clear way forward.
But his zest for life has seen him flourish and rising from Sedibeng College, NWU, and later to working a good job.
Speaking to Ster, Makhubela explained his academic journey and how he moved from the best college in the Vaal to the elite university.
“After matric, I found myself at home with no clear plan, since my results didn’t exactly open doors to university. My mom, never one to mince words, took one look at my situation and decided I needed to do something productive, otherwise, things could take a turn for the worse.”
After registering at Sedcol in 2007, it wasn’t all smooth sailing as Makhubela failed a semester.
“After my hiccup, I found myself back at home once again. Then, at the beginning of 2011, life took a major turn,” he said.
According to Makhubela, what followed his setback was a marathon of dedication: nine years at VUT, racking up a national diploma, bachelor’s degree, and eventually a master’s degree.
“For three of those years, I worked full-time at one of the country’s recognised banks, African National Bank. At the same time, I also took on a lecturing role at Sedibeng College, sharing knowledge and shaping future minds,” he added.
But Makhubela didn’t only juggle books, he also carried maize meal to help put bread on the table.
“While I studied, I helped my mother run her maize meal business. I did deliveries on a bicycle, sometimes hiring a van. I’d do collections too, whatever it took me to help our family survive,” he said.
With a much bigger plan in mind, Makhubela enrolled for his PhD at NWU in 2021, completing it in 2025.
“Earlier this year, I was moved to Cape Town to start my role as a lecturer at one of the prestigious colleges in the city. My story isn’t about many things, but rather about keeping one foot in front of the other, even in the darkest times.” “It’s about facing struggles and challenges with grit, not because you know where the path leads, but because taking the next best step is the only choice you have,” he said.
