This is the person you want to win a Ferrari
Do you remember that Times Media competition where you could win a Ferrari 458 Spider worth R5,3 million? You kicking yourself now for not entering aren’t you? Well you will be happy to know that the most deserving lady won.
Amanda Moyo*, a domestic worker in Port Elizabeth, is 35 and grew up in the farming area around Lovemore where she lived with relatives. She never knew her mother while her father was “taken away by social workers” when she was very young. “I didn’t go to high school because there was no money‚ so I decided to let the family take their children to school and I’d fend for myself‚” she said.
At 15, Moyo would go to a neighbouring farmer to do some weed work that would see her earn R50 a week.
“From then on‚ I never looked back. I went from one job to another‚” she said.
The mother of three moved to a tiny shack in Walmer Township in 2008 with her partner Luvuyo Tsabalala*‚ 41‚ who used to work as a driver but is now a gardener.
In 2013‚ the pair lost everything – their house‚ car and Tshabalala’s company car – in an “unexplained” fire. “We had to start from scratch again. [Tshabalala] lost his job after that and I wasn’t getting jobs as frequently as I started having very long‚ dry spells in between. It was tough‚” she said. “But I’m used to struggling‚ so we picked ourselves up slowly but surely.
“I have always wanted to create a life for my children that is better than mine growing up. I knew I had to work… hard.”
A few months ago, Moyo impulsively entered this competition. She had received a call late last year to say she was a finalist – one of 130. She then received the call that would change her life.
“The person said ‘hello‚ is that Amanda Moyo?’ and I said ‘yes’. Then they said ‘congratulations‚ you have won a Ferrari’. In my moment of shock‚ I answered in Xhosa despite them speaking English. I said ‘mna?’ [me?] and they all laughed. I was on speaker phone‚” she said.
Moyo would be flown up to Johannesburg‚ be dined at a fine restaurant – both first-time experiences – and be officially awarded her prize.
She is taking R3 million cash as her prize instead of the supercar.
“I’m going to put away money for my children’s education up to university and invest some of it for the future‚” she said thoughtfully.
Asked how she was going to spoil herself‚ she simply smiled and said: “All I want is a brick house and a small car‚ my dear. I don’t want any drastic changes to my life that will draw unnecessary attention.”
source: Timesalive
- Not their real names