Thembalethu John Kumatana is a prime example of how people who grow up in the midst of extremely difficult and often even dangerous circumstances can with determination, a strong family background, a loving family and steadfast faith, triumph over obstacles and fight their way up through the ranks of society and become an inspiring example of success in a country like South Africa, with its myriad problems.
Themba was born and raised on a farm in Maclear in the Eastern Cape South Africa. After he matriculated, he moved to Cape Town, where he attended Boland College in Paartl and specialised in the field of Human Resources.
He relates how in the late 1980s when Apartheid was still in force, he had the experience of tear gas in his nostrils.He describes how he and his schoolmates had to wade through a river to get to school, and sometimes had to stay at home because of the dangerous, flowing river. His mother helped him with his education in his formative years. He spent summers with his maternal grandmother, who instilled in him values of kindness, resilience and empathy.
During the Apartheid years, black people in South Africa were treated as second class citizens and their education comprised learning to do menial jobs as they werenot considered worthy of being educated well-enough to take-on greater responsibilities, build a career or run a business.
In 1994, because his parents re-located to Elliot, Themba was forced to stay with various grandparents on farms where they lived.
Because his grandmother was not working on the farm, the farmer, on whose grounds their home was located on, decided to evict her; and one day, Themba, after walking 20 kilometres to go home, found a roofless house, with his grandmother gone.
He experienced severe illness in 1989; and thus, had to be away from school for extensive periods. He became estranged from his father, who worked on the mines, and didn’t want to spend time with his son; and hence, he was separated from his mother.
In 1994, his father was involved in an accident, when he was travelling in an overloaded bus, and thereafter, he had to spend over 6 months recuperating from his injuries.
His mother had to take on full responsibility of looking after his siblings without any income; and thus she had to depend on handouts from relatives for the family to stay alive, as well as having to look after Themba’s father; and consequently, the responsibility of getting food to the family fell on Themba’s shoulders.
When he first arrived in Cape Town, Themba initially stayed in an overcrowded tin shack in Khayalitsha. That was a big shock to him as he had not been exposed to township life in the Eastern Cape. He relates how a gangster threatened to kill his cousin for stealing money from him. A gang leader also asked Themba to join his criminal gang. He declined the offer as he had seen how gang membership and resultant exposure to drugs and alcohol abuse could ruin people’s lives. That scary episode caused him to leave Khayelitha, where life was cheap and move to Paarl.
When he went to Paarl, his life took a turn for the better as he was employed as a labourer in Simonsvlei winery at the princely wage of seven rand per hour. He had to walk ten kilometres in the blazing Paart sun to get to the railway station. He then worked at a timber plant as a wood processor and packer, where sometimes he was so exhausted that he didn’t even eat his lunch.
He took his CV to Fairview Wine Estate, and landed a job as a despatcher. From then on, he went from strength to strength; with the support of Charles Back, the owner and founder of Fairview Wine Estate; as well as receiving friendship from his colleagues. He continued with his schooling, and thereafter attended Boland College in Paarl.
He became a wine host at Fairview as well as becoming a payroll administrator and Human Resources Manager at Fairview.
If you wish to obtain a copy of Thema’s book Footsteps of my Journey you can do so at Fairview Wine Estate.
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