A few hours ago we were all complaining about the Smash and Grab video that went viral and showed how ruthless and vile traffic light beggars can be and how they use begging as a veil behind their true agendas. This was the case until most of us woke up to the #trafficlightteacher twits on social media.
#trafficlightteacher hit the net with almost 14,454 twits making rounds on the Internet, I am also one of the many, as the story of Veli Moses Mackenzie is just one that is out of the ordinary and cannot be summed up as luck. So we all rejoiced and tapped the Jacaranda Complimentary breakfast team on the back for their great job and effort to ensure that Veli Moses Mackenzie’s Sound engineering study dreams became a reality,
South Africa needs more people like Moses #TrafficLightTeacher He’s truly an inspiration to all.
— Barbara Botha (@bothab83) January 21, 2015
#trafficlightteacher got a bursary this morning #NothingIsImpossible
— IG: simaa_booi (@simaa_booi) January 21, 2015
I salute the #trafficlightteacher. God bless that young man's hustle
— Tumelo Muteme (@TumeloMuteme) January 21, 2015
but then I went digging and realized there was more to Mackenzie and his dream. His dream was actually activated a while ago when Justin Haddon on his way to Wits Univeristy would learn a word or two in Zulu whilst waiting in traffic. He brought the story to the attention of his amazing friend Pontsho Pilane of The Daily Vox, who did an article called “Traffic light teacher” peddles Zulu words on street corners, also of note are the videos of Danie Teach, a video channel on Youtube that propelled Veli Moses Mackenzie’s Sound engineering study dreams via AudioVisual lessons.
Pontsho Pilane of The Daily Vox’s article gave more detail about the journey of moses #trafficteacher we know today , how he ended up on the streets and the life he lived before he became our tuesday sensational hero. Moses in the interview said this is not the life he envisioned for himself, but circumstances led him to being homeless.“After my mother passed away, my uncle and I started fighting a lot. I could not stay at home anymore,” he says.
video Credit – Wits Vuvuzela
He dreams of becoming a sound engineer. His love for music and reading keeps him going on the streets.
Today he was awarded a Bursary to study with The Academy of Sounds Engineering His journey has just began and the first step to him actualizing his dream has been activated, the Busary and accomodation as well as feeding would all come together, we believe the step that the Academy of Sound Engineering took is one that would motivate a lot of others to join in.
Veli Moses Mackenzie’s story is one of perseverance and dedication and one that teaches all that no matter the situation there is always a way. One that should be emulated by the Smash and Grab cons that have made many loose hope in homeless people at most traffic intersections and around the country.
