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She applied without a licence: How Owami Mfeka rewrote her future
Sometimes the biggest turning points arrive quietly, tucked between scrolling through job ads and second-guessing yourself.
For Durban’s Owami Mfeka, that moment came when she clicked apply on a vacancy she technically did not qualify for. The listing was clear. A driver’s licence was required. She did not have one.
She sent her application anyway.
Today, she is building a future in the travel and tourism sector, working at Pace Car Rental, far removed from the classroom she once imagined herself leading.
A different plan from the start
Mfeka had originally hoped to become a teacher. But like many South African matriculants, her marks nudged her onto a different academic route. She studied public administration instead, a second choice that still kept her moving forward.
While studying, she worked at a call centre to support herself. It was not glamorous work. Her days were filled with cold calls to mostly international clients, selling everything from insurance to cellphone contracts. Sales targets were high, pressure was constant, and suspicion from clients was routine.
Many assumed the calls were scams. Rejections were part of the job description.
Yet that environment toughened her. It taught her how to speak to strangers, how to handle frustration, and how to keep going when someone slammed the phone down.
Those lessons would soon matter more than she realised.
The application that changed everything
After graduating, Mfeka knew she needed a shift. While browsing vacancies, she came across a post at Pace Car Rental. It clearly stated that applicants needed a driver’s licence.
She did not have one.
Still, she applied.
When the call came inviting her for an interview, she was stunned. She half expected them to notice the missing licence and withdraw the offer. Instead, she got the job.
There was just one small detail. She knew almost nothing about cars.
Beyond understanding that they move forwards and backwards, she had little knowledge of tyres, jacks, or tools. The automotive world was foreign territory. But customer service was not.
The resilience and communication skills she built in the call centre became her foundation. As she works towards getting her licence, she is learning about vehicles, clients, and the broader travel and tourism space.
And she is enjoying it.
Mfeka describes her workplace as a small, close-knit team with a family atmosphere. For a generation often accused of job hopping and chasing trends, she speaks about stability and growth.
A grounded Gen Z voice
Mfeka is on the older end of Gen Z. She does not fully recognise herself in the stereotype of her generation being focused only on weekends and nightlife.
Her priorities sound refreshingly practical. Education. Buying a car. Investing in property. Building a stable life.
That mindset was shaped long before she entered the job market. She grew up in rural KwaZulu-Natal with her grandmother after her mother fell pregnant at 19. Only later, once her mother was financially secure, did she move to Durban to live with her.
By the time she finished school, she felt a strong pull towards independence. She did not want to rely on anyone.
Her story reflects a reality many young South Africans understand well. Opportunities are not always perfectly aligned with qualifications. Sometimes they require courage first and credentials later.
The bigger picture
Youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s toughest challenges. For many graduates, the job market feels like a closed door. Mfeka’s story does not suggest that requirements do not matter. It does highlight something else. Confidence can open conversations that self-doubt would close.
Her decision to apply without meeting every requirement was not reckless. It was hopeful.
In a country where young people are often told to wait their turn, she chose to try her luck.
And it worked.
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Source: The Citizen
Featured Image: Careers Portal
