My Journey

My name is Tanaka (Bobo) Mpofu from Diepsloot, the first time I was introduced at Youthzones network it was in 2013 by Coach Ngaoko from Diepsloot Arsenal to take the soccer players for a workshop that was held in Johannesburg near Bree taxi rank where the Youthzones office where sited.

Then my second time was in Cosmos City  when coach Ngaoko had lot on his plate that he sent me to represent the team for a leadership workshop in Cosmos city where Youthzones offices have been moved to, and it happened that on that day I took with me my usb which was loaded with software’s that where necessary to have as an IT guy to carry around cause I used to fix computers, upgrade and assembly ,then it happened that on the day that I attended the workshop there where programs that where being taught among the leaders which was Life skills, IT, living beyond sports and entrepreneurship.

Being the second time to meet up with Youthzones family on my two series (crutches) you know the feeling that you’re new and no one quite knows you well meeting up with different people from different sites that makes it feel strange and at the same time curious to know who is who what are they’re all about.

Then we were instructed to sit in a circle and introduce ourselves of which Doc Mabila lead the way and it was my first-time meeting (her) him and you could see the energy that he had and welcoming and very loud the introduction was done and leaders where given laptops , phones , soccer and netball balls ,then it came to a point where all the laptops needed software’s to be installed your Microsoft, antivirus and other necessary software’s then I volunteered to install them and I had to install all the laptops and that triggered Doc to real want to know more about me and what I do in life after installing the software’s he gave me a laptop and cellphone and honestly I was happy and we exchanged contacts with Doc and he asked me to contact him in 2 weeks as he was traveling.

In two weeks I made a call unfortunately he was driving to a meeting and then Doc said he will see if he finish’s early and visit me fast forward we meet and had an opportunity to meet Doc and we talked   and we got real deep and our talk end up me being given a task to run the Facebook page of which I did and Doc was happy with what I was doing and from there he was visiting me more often and we become friends and continued our friendship.

In 2016 Doc gave me an opportunity to go and collect beds and couches in JHB and said I can see what I can  do with them and I did take the opportunity with two hands and used it to grow my business Pusha Mzala Records as I was involved in nurturing talent in the township of which I had created a platform on Facebook Diepsloot Kasi Lami that I would market their music and all went well with the money that I was getting from selling beds and couches and also managed to buy a sound system of which I rented it out for parties ,taverns and cooperate events and by then life start to change to better cause I could get income from sound system , plus being a DJ my life was balanced and I can say it improved and I was able to pay rent have a big TV screen,DSTV,nice couches ha ha ha ha and a girlfriend and Doc used to make fun of it and we laughed about it.

Then the black cloud fell upon my life the sound system was stolen in the tavern where I rented it and I was also a DJ, I got the phone call in the morning from Joe saying that the sound was stolen of which was worth R45 000 that means the investment has just got down the drain and I was not show how to respond or to react but I was restless and felt hopeless.

That means there was no other stable income coming in and by that time I was already staying with my Girlfriend and the focus on the Pusha Mzala Records also shifted cause I was still building up the business and making connections for my artist to get exposure in the music industry but all came to an end and lost love of being a Dj and to continue to run the business, was depressed and I didn’t want to tell Doc about it kept to myself but slowly depression was eating me slowly started to drink heavily with no conscious on who sees me drinking in public holding Igudu Zamelek,hope and passion was lost I was literally dead inside , Then one day on sun day drinking my Gudu Zamalek sitting on a rock minding my own business as I set my eyes up it was to late to hide the beer not because I was afraid but embarrassment of drinking reckless as a leader in the community here comes Doc and he had parked the car in front of Joe workshop I could see in his eyes that he was very worried and concerned what has gone wrong of me and it has been a while without seeing each other so it was one of those random visit  that Doc does checking up on whats happening but that day it was different and he did not judge me he spoke in an soft voice Bobo whats wrong definitely he knew that there was something wrong back in my mind I did not want to tell him that my sound was stolen but the passion in his voice and his eyes I couldn’t resist but to be open and tell him what had happened and after talking he then said to me ok its fine I will see what I will do and he left.

It was in May 2017 and he kept on checking on me and supported me with the rent money and he kept on saying I will see what I can do am still figuring out a plan though he kept on insisting that we must try to get a sound system so I can get back on my feet but then my passion was dead and I didn’t want anything to do with being a Dj or run Record label neither own a sound system I was just done .

Three months down the line in August it was on a Sunday Evening Doc calls me saying I must come for an interview at their offices in Fontainebleau and when I got a call I was on my way back from Limpopo from a invite by one of my close friend who is in the Music industry who have initiated this drive to Limpopo to offer me a Job to work with him  and we had agreed that I had to start on the same Monday that Doc had called  for interview at Youthzones office.

Stuck in the train and I had to make a decision that was very tough and both of the jobs where opportunities that will give me a break through but I had to have an answer on the very same night while we were driving back and that was one of the tough call of duty to handle and my mind was all over cause both of this opportunities where first time to ever happen to me to  work in an office as I believed in the Kasi hustling repairing computers, fixings phones taking videos so it was pretty much of my life adventure but unfortunately that dream was torn apart.

Now what must I do as we  were getting close to JHB and already in the car we are talking about how I will start the job and my tasks that I will perform and I recall it was an opportunity for me to revive Pusha Mzala Records but inside me that dream had fallen apart and I had to make a tough decision and say I wanted to first go home and see my girlfriend for I had left home on Friday and he knew I was coming back on a Sunday so I used that as an escape to go and sleep at my place so that I can sleep over it and choose in the morning which call I must take and he drove me home and arrived late around 1:00 am when I woke up in the morning I asked myself a question what is that I want that will make me feel better cause I was destroyed inside and wanted to have a different path that wont remind me of the wounds of the stolen sound system and mind you this was my second time sound system stolen so most definitely I need a new path.

Monday morning woke up bathed and told myself am going to the Youthzones office and thus what I did and got taxi early in the morning straight to Creasta and Doc had given me directions where to drop off and  I arrived 30mins early and meet Doc then I meet Schalk but it was not my first time meeting him I have meet him couple of times and Doc came with him several times for  visits in Diepsloot played soccer and also had refreshments after soccer games now it was a different meet up and set up it was a job interview my first ever job interview with no Cv or whatsoever but it was me against then world and then then Doc formal introduced me again you know Doc is always wearing his short pants and Schalk wearing a Bidvest soccer jersey and the interviewed started and Schalk initiated it and I still recall one of the question he asked me he said how long does it take to develop a career and I replied  two years  and he said no its 5 years and in my mind I thought I have failed the interview but then after that I was taken to the office they gave me a laptop and was told that I will be on probation for three months and after that if I do well I will be employed permanently as an Admin though I had basic skills in Microsoft word ,excel power point and no clue on whatsoever with administration job but now am hired and I have to learn.

Schalk then taught me excel and filing and other admin duties gave me a book to read  project management of which I read and did get clue and direction on what my roles are as an admin then the rest is history thus how I ended up being an admin and worked with Schalk in the office and Doc was always doing site visits and I only saw him on Mondays on weekly team meetings of which I have learned how to take minutes and other required skills that I was supposed to do at the office.

Along the way I visited sites with Doc and I so an opportunity to master my skills in photography because I was familiar with taking pictures and videos so another skill was revealed so now I was able to go on site and be a camera man and also being a DJ so slowly the music thing was coming back but I had zero interest on it.

By then I was using two crutches to mobilize and I don’t recall at one stage feeling outcasted because of my disability we even made jokes around it and Schalk will say am using a tripod referring to my crutches cause I will pull up some kind of stunt which will make me lean on my crushes as I took the photos and bare in my Mind Pusha Mzala I had put it on hang but without any interest or whatsoever cause now I have found a new path that had healed me from depression and losing focus so I final got my groove back.

Fast Forward in 2020 I did amputation and just after my amputation it was lockdown and I had to work from home and had more time to heal and recover and while I was on the healing process I remember I had to take the healing process sober minded I destructed my mind by reading books weather the book made sense or not I read it and that kind of revived me to relook on Pusha Mzala and it took me back on the initial plans that I have made back then in 2013 when I started Pusha Mzala Records it was also part of the plan to have merchandise braded Pusha Mzala with our  emblem that our management team and artist will wear when they go for performances and interviews so I started to focus on design of jackets , caps and bennies and I managed to make more sales during lockdown and that sparked the passion to revive Pusha Mzala Brand

Then 2021 I introduced tracksuits and it was well accepted in the market the passion started to grow and now I have a Prosthesis leg all thanks to FGK community church, Betereinders, Youthzones and Mitchel who made the journey possible.

2022 September I launched online shop https://pushamzala.com/shop/ of which the dream is to have both an online and physical stores global and produce our own merchandise with the designs inspired by local disadvantage youth who have talent but not given the opportunity as I was given by Doc Mabila and Youthzones to learn and grow regardless of qualifications and this always concludes to the statement that is always repeated Kuthatha Isikhathi and the problem is not employment but employability   as I type this my eyes I filled with tears with joy and privilege that I was given at Youthzones and my resignation to venture into Focus on Pusha Mzala Brand the dream beyond clothes.

It is a movement that emanates from the struggles of young people with dreams and visions: a young people who dared to believe and hope for a better life. Who refused to accept mediocrity, failure or the status quo but believed against ALL odds that their lives could get better and they did.

We always believe that each piece of Pusha Mzala apparel represents a dream won #its possible

 Contact sales@pushamzala.com

Whatsapp:063 892 5717