We enable young South Africans to access high-value jobs, I love it — but I’m sad to see them go
A story about how I treasure relationships and it makes our business model one I don’t think I like much
I joined Umuzi in Jan of 2019 and my first cohort to come through the Make Umuzi Better, three-week Design Thinking sprint was the c15s. At first, they were awkward and quiet. But then they did things like eat lunch together, bond over silly things, and come in early to chat.
They stood out magically. Gems in the making.
I connected with the loud ones first — the jokesters, the silly makers, the confident ones.
Then I started helping the data science team and the three guys who did the candidate recommender crept into my heart. I just like them. It’s easy and fun and we banter and have genuinely glorious times. Together and as individuals. I love that each one of them separately is kind and born to be a king but as a triple, they’re silly and kind and ridiculous! I bump into them in the kitchen, seek them out in their dungeon, and ask them for help. I think their energy sustains me sometimes.
Then I move into the rest of the tech circles and people are rough and self-seeking. There is too much harshness, too little gentle laughter, and bravery. I don’t want to spend my days in meetings with people who don’t give each other the benefit of the doubt, who aren’t here for the connection.
Phumlani is confident, hilarious, kind, generous, and crisply articulated. He’s sort of the leader. He’s an entrepreneur and dreamer. He has spans of confidence and always comes to chat.
Nyiko is hilarious, you can tell he’s smart. Big picture thinker, gentle, genuine. I could be a good friend of his. He’s got grit and resilience like no other. He wants to be a stand-up comic, I think he already is.
Keanu is quiet and gentle, but the other two bring out the silly in him. He is a good storyteller, dresses like a boss, is so genuine. He works hard and asks kindly when he doesn’t know what the brief is.
My heart. An Umuzi that is devoid of these precious souls feels like it’s not so worth it. I can’t imagine not seeing their chuffed faces as I walk in, bantering with them, knowing I’ll get some snide remarks. I miss it already and it hasn’t even happened.
