Local author tells community of her hardships in a book

Germiston resident Thuli Mashazi shared her difficulties in finding employment despite obtaining her teaching diploma 20 years ago.

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Mashazi resigned from her first and only teaching job the same year as obtaining her teaching diploma in 2001.

She resigned in exchange for the promise of an increase in salary from her church leader for a new position that was available.

For the next 20 years she couldn’t find employment in the education sector again. She was eventually employed as teacher at Sunward Park High School.

Prior to rejoining the education sector she took up her role as author.

Through her book, Dare to Rise, Mashazi aspires to motivate a generation of unemployed youngsters to make sensible decisions.

“I needed a sense of purpose in my life. Regrets were filling in every day; I felt like I was stuck, and my life was not moving,” said Mashazi.

“I was viewing myself as a failure. I had to assure myself of my confidence and I dared myself to rise,” she said.

“It took years to write the book simply because I did not believe life would turn around. I also had no one in my immediate circle to carry me in this journey of becoming an author.”

Mashazi said one faithful morning in 2015, while watching television, she heard an author mentioning an online platform that she had used to publish her book.

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“I did research, released my first book, titled Let This Poet Testify on the same platform. Five years later, I was booked to be a guest artist at a book launch.

“There I met a publisher and I adapted that first book and released it in 2019 with a new title, Dare to Rise,” said Mashazi.

Mashazi said the book was launched on her 40th birthday in September 2019 and it opened doors for her.

“I then got my permanent appointment as a teacher. I released my first poetry EP titled The Untold Story , did a reality TV show called The Preachers’ Challenge, and many amazing things happened,” said Mashazi.

“This book was the key that unlocked opportunities. It paved the beginning of Thuli Mashazi, as I am known today.”

The book was well-received, and she has been invited to speaking engagements from churches and secular organisations.

Dare to Rise has become a mantra and a mission statement for her.

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“I want to immortalise those words. I want the whole world to understand the power of resurrection.

“After reading this book, the reader will walk away with something from the 12 chapters, 12 poems, 12 prayers, and 12 things that one must look at in order to rise and flourish.”

Mashazi said what she hope to achieve through this book is to encourage and motivate people to not give up on their dreams and, most importantly, on themselves.

“Readers must understand that they have the power to transform the trajectory of their lives.

“It is a risk because one is not guaranteed to succeed upon trying, but the satisfaction that comes after working on oneself is immeasurable.”