Top student and Miss Mamelodi Sundowns Gauteng Tebogo Mphahlele has graduated from the same university that her father helped to build as a construction worker when he was a young man.
Mphahlele, 21, graduated last week with a BCom accounting degree from the University of Johannesburg, which used to be known as Rand Afrikaans University, back when her then 18-year-old father worked as a labourer in 1971.
“My father is so ecstatic that he has two children who have graduated from the university he had a hand in constructing. When I was in my first year that's when it hit him that two of his children have studied at that school,” she said.
The beauty queen and golden key member, who hails from Daveyton on the East Rand, is currently doing her post graduate degree, bridging certificate in the theory of accounting before serving her articles.
“It's only now sinking in that as an aspiring chartered accountant (CA), the journey is moving forward and I am going to be the first CA in my family.”
“My parents were not rich but they gave up everything to make sure that my siblings and I went to the best schools. We are blessed to have them,” said Mphahlele.
Mphahlele's father, Matane, said he spent four years in the 1970s working on constructing the university.
“I spent four years building it when it was still called Rand Afrikaans University. I think it was in 1971. So, when both of my children went and graduated from there I cried. I said to God, I can't believe when I was building here I was building my children's future,” he said.
Mphahlele said she started becoming interested in beauty pageants when she got to university but did not believe in herself. “Miss Mamelodi Sundowns is the first pageant I have ever entered and I got to the semifinals,” she said.
Mphahlele and the other semi-finalists will be finding out soon who will be crowned the overall Miss Mamelodi Sundowns.
The young aspiring chartered accountant said she wants to use her platform to help other young people gain confidence, especially in academics.
“I see beauty pageants as a bigger platform for my work. For example, I want to make education and the word of God fashionable. I don't want my life story to just be about me. I want more people who look like me to be able to sit on the table,” she said.
Mphahlele is also the founder of Women Network Africa, which aims to help women network with each other and LeadYoungSA Foundation which she founded at 16 to empower young people through various initiatives.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.