One would say fate always has its way of lining things up, but for Itumeleng and his friends, I say their resilience and effort paid off. Unfortunately, we cannot divulge the name of the company, as management fears desperate job seekers may try to employ the same tactic, leading to crowding at their premises. Here is his story.
My name is Itumeleng, and this is the story of how my friends and I got jobs in a very unique and rewarding way. It’s a story of faith, frustration, and, ultimately, fate.
It all started with a rumour — a big trucking company in Cape Town was looking for drivers. We didn’t even know how many drivers they wanted. No adverts, no applications — just show up and prove yourself. For guys like us, coming from Bloemfontein, where jobs are scarce and opportunities even scarcer, this was a shot worth taking. We didn’t think twice. We fueled up our bakkie, packed our bags, and hit the road before sunset so we could arrive in the morning.
When we got to the company, my heart sank. Hundreds of men, just like us, were already at the gate. Some in overalls, some in jeans, all with hope in their eyes. It was clear — we were not the only ones chasing this dream.
Then came the real shocker. The owner of the company arrived in his luxury SUV, looked at all of us… and just walked past, as if we were invisible. No speeches, no instructions — nothing. He just went to his office and carried on with his day like we weren’t even there.
By 11 a.m., frustration was boiling. We bombarded the security guard with questions, but all he said was, “Wait.” Wait for what? Nobody knew.
Lunchtime came and went. The sun beat down on us. Some guys left, grumbling. Others sat on the pavement, exhausted. By 5 p.m., when office staff started leaving, reality hit hard—nobody was coming to address us. It was a test we didn’t even know we were taking.
I looked at my friends. We had driven 1,000 km for this. We weren’t going to turn back with nothing. So, we made a bold decision.
“We’re not leaving.”
We spoke to the night controller, a kind coloured guy, and asked if we could at least park our bakkie inside for the night. He must have seen the desperation in our eyes because he agreed. That night, under the cold Cape Town sky, we slept in that bakkie, tired, hungry, and uncertain of what tomorrow would bring.
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At around 2 a.m., we heard a knock on the window. Half-asleep, I saw a man standing outside. I rubbed my eyes. It was him. The boss.
“Wake them up,” he told the controller.
We scrambled out of the bakkie, still groggy. He looked at us, then simply asked, “Do you have your papers?”
We handed over our PDPs and CVs with shaking hands. He scanned them, nodded, then said something we never expected:
“I was looking for five drivers, but since you are six, I’ll take you all. One of you will be a reliever.”
Just like that.
We stood there, stunned. All the hours of waiting, the hunger, the cold, the uncertainty — it had all led to this moment. We weren’t hired because we were the best drivers. We weren’t even tested. We were hired because we stayed. Because we wanted it enough to sleep in our car when others gave up.
The next morning, when the other job seekers returned, they were told the positions were filled. Some cursed, some shook their heads in disbelief. We just stood there, quietly grateful.
If I learned one thing from that experience, it’s this — patience pays. I also know that fate may force you to be patient just so it gets its way. Sometimes, life doesn’t hand you things the way you expect. Sometimes, it tests you without warning. And sometimes, the only difference between getting the job and walking away empty-handed… is the decision to stay one more night.
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