From being a homeless security guard to becoming an MP — UDM's Nqabayomzi Kwankwa on his career journey

From being a cleaner, a homeless security guard, bank manager and taxi driver to  becoming an MP. These were some of the twists and turns in Nqabayomzi Kwankwa's career before becoming the UDM’s deputy president. 

Kwankwa left his home in Middledrift in the Eastern Cape in February 1999, aged 19, for Gugulethu in Cape Town to seek greener pastures. He lived with a relative, scrubbing toilets at a local beauty salon in the area before becoming homeless. 

“When I became homeless, I had just started a job as a security guard at a security company in Bellville. I stayed in a container used as a dumping site and that was my home for about two weeks. After my relatives made temporary arrangements, I stayed in Site B, Khayelitsha,” Kwankwa told TimesLIVE in an interview.

Kwankwa said he managed to save up money during his time as a security guard and a bouncer at pubs to enrol at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

He enrolled for a business administration and management diploma and later studied economics at the University of South Africa (Unisa) and financial planning at GIBS Business School.

“My first job was with Absa in 2002. It was my lecturer from the university that saw me through into economics when he assigned me to do my in-service training at a bank. I wanted to work in retail because they offered more money. I was mad at my lecturer for months but he had foresight and I am glad he took that decision,” Kwankwa said.

Kwankwa said he enjoyed a stable career working at various banks, including Absa and Nedbank, for years before entering politics.

“In the 2009 elections, I campaigned for the UDM and became the spokesperson for the party. The bank where I was working said I could not be seen on TV speaking on behalf of a political party because I was a representative of the bank. My bosses put pressure on me to choose between politics and the bank. 

“As much as I enjoyed working at the bank, I knew it was not my calling. I resigned and chose politics,” he said. 

Kwankwa said the UDM's downfall in the 2009 national elections, which saw the party with few seats in parliament, left him unemployed. At the time, he had five children and his mother was also financially dependent on him, he said.

"Immediately after the elections, I was unemployed and had no income. I was forced to become a cab driver."

Kwankwa said he also tried his hand at a few other jobs, including selling hot dogs at construction sites.

“I nearly lost a house I owned in Mount Clare and a car. Luckily, a friend of mine, Luvuyo Rani, who is the owner of Silulo Ulutho Technologies, offered me a job. I was given the responsibility of sourcing enterprise development funding and accreditation matters. That is how I managed to save my house.”

He said he had no hard feelings towards the party after struggling financially and accepted the consequences of his actions.

“You must be willing to face the consequences of your actions, which is exactly what happened. I continued with life. I knew God always come through for me and was going to come through when the time is right. I regarded that period as a test of faith and that I needed to work harder to get into politics and establish myself," Kwankwa said. 

“When you have slept in a dumpsite and not had food you know what lies beneath rock bottom. I know what rock bottom is and what starting over is like. What I love about the journey is my children were able to see life is not always easy and I became closer to them.

“We used to walk to the train station and wait for the security guards to leave before getting on a train to visit family members. We used to sing and laugh even during the dark times. We humbled ourselves with the hope that things would get better.”

In 2011, Kwankwa was back in politics when he was hired as a researcher and “ghost writer” for UDM leader Bantu Holomisa's speeches and other party leaders. 

“I have worked hard to be where I am. People underestimate the power of the spoken word, how it can make or break nations. How it can inspire people to believe in a better tomorrow and cause people to lose hope, depending on how carelessly or carefully you use your words and the way you lead.

“I grew up in the Eastern Cape during a period of riots and even at schools teachers would say ‘here we are teaching the leaders of this country’ and those words raised hope in me that we could become a great generation.” 

Kwankwa gave credit to political leaders such as former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, saying they inspired him.

He said he has aspirations of growing the party and adventuring into international relations matters, with an ultimate goal of becoming president of the country.

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