How a bold job application changed Owami Mfeka’s life

2026-02-16 - 07:46

Life has a funny way of working out, but not always in the direction that you’d expect. And this is exactly how a Durban Gen Z, Owami Mfeka, has seen reality play out. She thought she’d become a teacher, but instead she’s learning the ropes in the travel and tourism sector. It’s worlds apart from what she planned, but she said she wouldn’t change a thing. She said that she hustled her way into the job. “When I applied, I did not meet the prerequisite of having a diver’s licence,” she said. “But I did it anyway, because I just thought ‘if not, why not, try your luck,’ and I did. And I got lucky.” Side hustle This was after studying public administration first, as a second choice, because her matric marks didn’t allow her to study teaching. Mfeka’s side hustle while hitting the books was working in a call centre and she said it was a thankless job. “We had to sell everything from insurance through to cellphone contracts to mostly international clients. “And apart from having the phone slammed down uncountable times, it was the suspicion during conversations that was not pleasant.” ALSO READ: Mzansi’s people: From packer to manager Many people thought the calls were a 419 scam. “Making sales were really hard,” she added. Mfeka said they were required to make at least four or five sales a day, around 20% of the number of calls anyone could make during work time. It was right after graduation that she decided that life needed a segue. Mfeka: ‘I was shocked’ Scrolling through job ads, she spotted a vacancy at Pace Car Rental.