FROM R100 TO DEPUTY PRINCIPAL: MAKAYA MALILA’S ACADEMIC JOURNEY IN FAITH, PERSEVERANCE AND PURPOSE

𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.

When Makaya Malila arrived in Mthatha in 2017 to pursue his studies with just R100 in his pocket, he carried little certainty about the future, but possessed something money could not buy - an unwavering belief that education could change his life.

Today, the young educator is a Deputy Principal at Cofimvaba Senior Secondary School, having reached the leadership position before the age of 30.

His journey from a poverty-stricken village in Lower Tsojana, Tsomo, to school leadership is a powerful testament to perseverance, faith and the transformative power of education.

Born in KwaZulu village as the fifth of seven children to a taxi driver and a domestic worker, Malila grew up knowing hunger, deprivation and the painful realities of having too little.

The death of his father while he was in Grade 7 deepened the family’s struggles, placing additional burdens on his mother, Nosandla Malila, who became both mother and father to him.

Yet, in the midst of hardship, people emerged whose kindness would help keep his dreams alive.

At Mkhwinti Junior Secondary School, several teachers recognised his potential and supported him with school uniforms, food and encouragement.

During high school at Cofimvaba Senior Secondary School, another mother figure, Nokweyisa Bambelani, and members of the Church of Pentecost helped sustain him through Grade 12.

“I learned to give, not because I have much, but because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing,” Malila reflects.

His journey to Walter Sisulu was marked by uncertainty.

With only R100 after receiving his matric results, he travelled to Mthatha determined to pursue a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Life Sciences.

He credits the Student Christian Organisation (SCO) for providing food and accommodation while he awaited registration.

At university, he developed the academic foundation, discipline and sense of responsibility that would shape his professional journey.

He also draws inspiration from lecturers, including Miss Ndudula, Dr Mntengwana, Dr Musodza and Dr Machea, whose lessons on Ubuntu, accountability and servant leadership continue to inform his work.

Malila graduated in 2021 and entered the teaching profession, determined to become the kind of educator who sees potential where others might see limitations.

He subsequently completed a Bachelor of Education Honours degree in Leadership and Management in 2024 and is now in the final stages of his Master’s degree in Education at Walter Sisulu.

His appointment as Deputy Principal marks another milestone in a journey that has also seen him become a husband, father, pastor, philanthropist and community activist.

He attributes his progress to God’s grace, hard work and the people who stood beside him, particularly his mother and wife, whose love, patience and support have contributed to his personal, academic and professional growth.

For Malila, however, success carries a responsibility to serve.

He hopes to empower learners, develop future leaders and support disadvantaged communities, ensuring that the opportunities he received become opportunities for others.

“Your circumstances do not determine the full extent of what your life can become,” he says, encouraging young people not to surrender their dreams to poverty, grief or uncertainty.

His story is not simply about moving from R100 to a position of leadership. It is about remembering those who helped him rise and choosing to become a source of hope for others.

From a boy whose dreams were sustained by the kindness of teachers and a community, Malila has become the leader he once needed, determined to open doors for those still waiting for theirs to open.

By Thando Cezula