From bus conductor to millionaire
MBABANE – Prime Minister Russell Dlamini’s heartwarming story of starting as a fuel attendant has struck a positive chord in other achievers, who were asked to share their life journeys.
The achievers felt challenged to also motivate others to aim for the top, regardless of humble beginnings.
Did you know that popular bus owner and Lobamba Member of Parliament (MP) Michael Masilela rose from being a bus conductor to being a millionaire? The Times roving journalist Mthunzi Mdluli spoke to him to find out his recipe for the monumental success. MP Masilela, who is also an astute businessman in the public transport industry, said he was once a herdboy.
He said being raised by a stepmother was hard for him as that led to him running away from home to look for odd jobs.
This was when he herded people’s livestock. The MP said he used to attend classes midweek and work on weekends to raise funds for school fees. “I have learnt the lessons of life the hard way. In Form III, I had to work to pay school fees,” he said. Eventually, he started selling ice cream on the streets and was later employed as a bus conductor.
Masilela said he bought his first car with the money he earned from selling ice cream and doubling as a bus conductor.
Despite the hard life, the MP said he was determined not to give up in life. He said he never blamed anyone for his humble upbringing.
“Even today, I am not pointing fingers at anyone, because no one chooses the family they are born in. You cannot even blame yourself for where you come from, but to succeed, you need to push hard. Blame yourself only if failure was your fault. Life is a journey that you need to walk, no matter the environment,” he said.
He recalls that he once looked after cattle in one of the homesteads at Esitjeni in 1989.
He said when he got the chance to go back to school, he made a decision to be a better person in life, just like children who came from wealthy families. He said seeing others driving their own cars led him to desire to have his own.
“I had to push hard in life to be where I am today. Luckily, at that time, I chose to be a Christian, which helped to guide my morals such that I did not chase after girls, drugs and alcohol,” he said.
He then advised young people to be decisive on what they wanted in life and then pursue it.
He said: “Nobody will start anything for you, but it all starts with you. If you want to see change, start by changing yourself.”