Graduate who has waited a decade for his certificate cannot get work
Father of four depends on his mother for support
In a bizarre situation, a 2010 Buffalo City College graduate has endured a decade of menial jobs or being unemployed while waiting for the college to issue his qualification certificate.
Thando Kontyo, who completed his level 4 in office administration and graduated, has been unable to obtain the paper work which verifies his qualification from the college.
As a result, Kontyo, a 31-yearold father of four, has had to rely on his mother for support.
A frustrated Kontyo said he had received his student academic record and a letter from the college confirming that he had completed the course.
He blamed maladministration" at the college for its inability to provide him with his qualification certificate.
"I have been sent from pillar “to post,” he told the Dispatch. His academic records, seen by the Dispatch, state that Kontyo completed the office administration course, and there was also a letter signed by the academic department verifying this fact.
The Dispatch phoned school principal Dharamchand Singh, whose phone rang and went to voicemail.
A text and WhatsApp message sent to Singh were not answered by the deadline on Monday.
Siseko Mali, an EFF student command leader, said Kontyo s case was not an isolated incident.
Mali said: There are many students at this campus who face the same problem. Some have given up without a fight.
"The maladministration at BCC is disheartening. There is no sense of accountability; neither is there a disciplinary committee to ensure that wrongdoers are brought to book or to ensure that students administrative needs are taken care of."
Kontyo said he had been forced to find work as a machine operator at two East London factories.
"Those jobs don t need qualifications. ’ But they were all I could get at the time,” he said.
But the work dried up in 2016 and he has been unemployed since.
"This has been very hurtful “and upsetting not only to me but to my family which has been badly affected by this,” Kontyo said.
He recalled the day he walked across the stage for his graduation: That was a proud moment; a moment that I thought would be the beginning of better things to come. Now, my fellow classmates are married, have children, homes and are driving their own cars. Yet I have nothing to show,” Kontyo said.
"Every year it has been the same fight for over 10 years at BCC. My mother and I have tried everything.”
His mother Silvia, a nurse, provides for his four children.
As she told the Dispatch of her son s problems, Silvia began to weep.
"I've been crying these tears over the years. I m struggling to keep up with monthly finances. I can t manage any more,” she said.
The 63-year-old said that this year had dealt the family several blows.
"My husband got sick and “died this year. I ve not been able to pay the fees of Thando's eldest who is going to high school next year.
"I am worried what will happen to her education,” she said.