By Refilwe Mphirime
The saying, ‘an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ is evident in the life of Zandisile Luphahla. The 44-year-old married man learned the importance of hard work and persistence from his parents. The fifth of six children born to Charles and Vusiywa Luphahla, Zandisile was born in Maselpoort, a farm outside Bloemfontein where his father was employed.
The Luphahla family left Maselspoort to Thabanchu in 1977 while he was still an infant. Thabanchu was a small town, which formed part of former Bophuthatswana, during the homeland era.
As a homeland, one needed a passport to be classified as a citizen. The passports enabled one to access government services. Unfortunately, the Luphahla family did not have the documents because of their nationality.
This minor obstacle delayed Zandisile’s education as he had to start school two years later.
“For two years, my mother struggled to get me enrolled at a primary school. However, she persisted and embarked on a stay-in at the tribal offices. She was not going to leave that office until she got what she came for, even if it meant serving time,” he remembers.
Being accepted at school had its challenges. The 16 Kilometre walk to and from school took a toll on the young Zandisile.
“As a Xhosa speaking family, life in a predominantly Tswana community was difficult. We experienced cultural segregation and were only comfortable speaking our language at home. Fortunately, my teacher was very fond of me. To protect me from bullies, she suggested that I change my surname to Lephatla and tell everyone I am Tswana,” remembers Luphahla. However, Zandi chose to stick to his original surname. He matriculated at RT Mokopa high school. Thereafter he went to study Public Management at Vista University, Bloemfontein campus.
“Growing up, we had no career guidance. All I knew was I wanted to be on the radio and interact with millions of people. My love for radio has always been my motivation,” he reiterates. However, obtaining a job in the industry was difficult due to the ‘brailling’ sound he makes when he speaks. He later decided to move to Kimberley. The first thing he looked for was a community radio station. “I knocked at Radio Teemaneng Stereo’s doors for two years. The then News Editor, Merapelo Pilane suggested that I work on a current affairs programme with OJ Malefo analysing Sunday newspapers every Monday between 6 and 7 pm. I did it voluntarily, this was a great achievement. Finally, I got to stand behind the microphone and speak to thousands of listeners.”
In 2010 he started his formal internship at the station, where he learned much about journalism, which led to him freelancing for The New Age publication.
Luphahla was later appointed full-time by The New Age as the Provincial Chief bureau cum senior journalist. He did both radio and newspaper jobs until he joined the government in 2016 as a spokesperson. This position won him ‘The Best Government Spokesperson’ at the first Northern Cape Awards. However, the victory did not go down well with some people in the industry, with some posting negative comments on social media. “I felt like the underdog, but my work spoke volumes,” shared Zandisile.
The father of three is currently studying towards a BA degree with the University of South Africa. The late nights and sacrifices have paid off at the end. “We are all gifted differently. Follow your passion and stay true to who you are. Do not despise small beginnings,” he advises.
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