Born in the small village of Ditichereng (Mariazell) in the Eastern Cape, near the Drakensberg Mountains bordering Lesotho, Bongani Qoza has worked his way up to a senior position in human resources.

This zealous young man joined the WOF programme in 2007 at Ongeluksnek Base in the Eastern Cape. Qoza was lucky to be selected as one of the firefighters for the Ongeluksnek Team, and he has worked hard to further his ambitions.

“In 2008 I was nominated to attend the Type 2 Crew Leader cour se i n Mpumalanga and I passed well,” says Qoza.

“This engagement harnessed and aroused my passion for people dynamics which ultimately earned me the space in the senior crew leader course.”

His journey prepared him to respond proactively to the challenges he faced, which led to his appointment as an instructor at the Training Academy in Nelspruit. Qoza said that the Training Academy created a conducive environment for professional growth as it trains individuals in various aspects, including leadership skills and people relations. “I saw myself moving from instructor to Deputy Academy Manager, HR officer and HR manager. What a journey full of learning and delivering,” says Qoza with a smile.

Using the skills he acquired in the programme, Qoza has risen up the ranks from firefighter to crew leader, training instructor and now HR practitioner. In November, Qoza started working at the Eastern Cape provincial office as the human resource practitioner.