Halala: Ex-taxi conductor earns PhD

MANY people think taxi conductors' next step is to be taxi drivers or bosses, and their lives end in rank.

But Simiso Mabaso, who used to operate doors on taxis running from Umlazi to Durban CBD, proved this wrong.

He has as now academically earned the prestigious title.

From humble beginnings as a taxi conductor to becoming an academic lecturer, Simiso has been awarded the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management Sciences, specialising in Hospitality and Tourism at DUT.

The 42-year-old from Bergville, KZN, lecturer in the Department of Ecotourism at DUT, graduated at the Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 14 May.

He is a living testimony that your past does not determine your future.

Simiso mentioned that he completed his matriculation in 1998 and moved to Durban in search of a university placement.

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He was accepted at DUT but lacked the funds for the registration fees.

"Not wanting to go back home empty-handed, I decided to look for a job, and one of my friend's uncles who was a taxi owner under Umlazi, hired me as a taxi conductor.

"It was my only hope of earning a living and sending money back home," he said.

His academic journey started in 2001 after he had saved enough money to cover his registration fees.

He was a full-time door operator from 1999 to 2000, and after that, he worked part-time during weekends until June 2004, when he started his experiential learning.

Simiso said he continued to work as a taxi conductor during weekends and holidays to sustain him during his studies.

He first enrolled for a National Certificate in Tour Guiding, and then in 2002, he continued with a National Diploma in Tourism Management.

In 2010, he completed his master's degree in Tourism and Hospitality.

Simiso started his PhD journey in 2021, and the title of his thesis was: A Framework to Facilitate Social Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Sustainable Tourism Economies in Bergville-Okhahlamba Municipality.

He said he is passionate about teaching and having the opportunity to work while developing himself academically.

"This qualification means a lot to me. The journey was not easy, but worth it. Research requires a lot of travelling to collect data and more. Unfortunately, I tried to apply for funding and was unsuccessful.

"It was such a tough journey, yet I'm very excited and grateful to have managed to complete my studies in record time," he said.

Skhekhe Khumalo (52), a taxi driver, told Daily Sun that he knew Simiso was studying but didn't think he would go as far as a PhD.

"He was a smart boy because we worked with him while he knew nothing about how to be a taxi conductor, counting money and giving passengers their change.

"I used to shout at him when he miscalculated the change, but he was not getting angry at me, and he was always willing to learn," he said.

Skhekhe mentioned that he protected Simiso from bad influences and said while Simiso was pursuing his studies, he worked alongside him whenever he wasn't attending classes.