The life and times of Moses Monye

 

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOSES MONYE

“Borotho ba tsena, bana ga ba bolawe ke tlala”- The job puts bread on the table thus my family doesn’t suffer from hunger. These are the words of a vibrant brick layer Moses Monye. This diligent visionary man has encountered many challenges, both professionally and personally but has still maintained his passion for the construction industry.

Born in Venda, Moses Monye attended Chibidi Primary School and matriculated at Leshawana Secondary School. He envisioned himself as a civil engineer to construct roads because that was his passion. His dream could not be a reality because his matric results did not comply with the minimum requirements to be obtained in order to enroll at most tertiary institutions. Even though his initial plan did not pan as he planned it, he always knew that his heart is set out on being in the construction industry thus the decision to be a bricklayer. Mr Monye had previously worked on a project in Lephalale whereby shopping complexes were being built, before relocating to Pretoria and finding employment at the construction site in Mamelodi. The reason for relocating is because after the completion of the project in Lephalale, employment opportunities became scarce. While the multi-tasking worker was laying bricks on top of the ‘daga’, he shared his struggle of not having enough money to buy a house and yet he builds homes on a regular basis.

This extraordinarily vibrant individual’s goal is to start a construction company and increase employment opportunities in his community with regards to anything regarding construction of buildings, he preferably would like to build structures that will increase the general welfare of his community members, for example, a library, clinic, school, orphanage homes etc. He wishes that the company could expand and become a success by the age of forty. This goal is hampered by the lack of funds and the small scale salary in which he earns on a monthly basis, which barely covers all his expenses. He clearly outlined his steps to reaching his goals. Firstly, he intends to upgrade his matric results to meet the minimum admission requirements. Secondly, he is searching for funding to further his studies in order to gain theoretical knowledge about the industry. After obtaining his qualification, he intends to work on medium scale construction projects and acquire more income, helping him to obtain start-up capital for his business. Last but not least, obtain a BSc Honors in Civil Engineering in order to be fully equipped, both theoretically and practically, to tackle construction projects on a larger scale.

Moses’ advice to people who aspire to grow in the construction industry is to not chase money and material things but rather be patient, love what you do and be professional at all times so that everything else can fall into its rightful place. He also encourages the youth to stay in school for them to gain knowledge and experience with regards to good financial management, transparency and accountability, which in his opinion is essential for productivity to take place.

It is people like Moses who make our society have a glimpse of a brighter future. His initial dream of being a civil engineer immediately after matriculating did not become a reality, however, he still works diligently and whole-heartedly. His determination to succeed in the construction industry is what keeps him aiming high and focused on his vision and that is what everyone should possess. Moses Monye is a role model to Kamaravele and to anyone aspiring to be in this industry but faces tremendous challenges. He is living proof of passion for construction.