Part of life’s turmoil

Abandoned by his father at a young age, Simphiwe Hlongwane (20) thought he had lost it all.

Living in a country rampaged by poverty and economic turmoil, life became a nightmare when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.

“I didn’t know how we will survive anymore. My mother had been a pillar of strength and seeing her weak was very painful,” says Hlongwane.

At only 17, Hlongwane decided to make his way to the famous eGoli – place of gold – which his peers in the Mugabe regime spoke about so he can fend for his two siblings.

“I came to find a job and look for my father in South Africa because we believed this is where he came when he left us… things were hard back home,” says the shy Hlongwane.

Without a single point of contact in South Africa, the streets of Brixton became his home and place of refuge.

“I had to stay on the street because I had no other place to stay. I didn’t even know how to look for my father. Frankly, when I got here I gave up on looking for him because I realised he didn’t love us. I had to do something just to help my family,” narrates Hlongwane.

Looking for a job while residing on the street made Hlongwane’s future seem bleak.

“Street life is not easy, there are a lot of things that can happen, one has to live with one eye open, I stayed away from drugs but living on the streets was very hard,” he reckons.

Hlongwane lived on the street for up to 13 months when a random thought popped into his mind.

“One day, I was walking past Miss Mahala’s home and I just had a feeling that maybe if I ring a bell in this house someone will help me,” he says.

It turned out Hlongwane had it spot on.

Mahala Harrison, an elderly lady residing in Hursthill, was kind enough to open her door for the then teenage lad.

“He came to my door and because I always try to find ways to help people, I thought if I don’t help him, who will? He told me his story and I was very touched by it,” she says with sympathy.

Harrison took him in and is looking for ways to help him secure an internship.

“I love cooking very much and I want to be a chef, I wrote my final high school exams in Zimbabwe but did not take my qualification because of money so now I need to look for alternative ways,” says Hlongwane.

Harrison concurs Hlongwane is a great cook with exceptional potential.

“He is very willing to make something of his life, so a school in the area that can take him and teach him and perhaps pay him so he may be able to buy toothpaste for himself will be an exceptional outcome,” comments Harrison.

Harrison is unemployed and operates a boarding house in her home for a living. Despite her situation, she did not only take in Hlongwane but also a 72-year-old man after reading an article in the Northcliff Melville Times stating that an elderly man needed a loving home.

Harrison is pleading to schools to help Hlongwane so his future can be secure.

“Any kind of help for him to study to be a chef and get some sort of salary while doing it will be very helpful,” she concluded.

Details: Mahala Harrison 0118375745.