Share

From R400 taxi ride to UJ to SA's Rising Star

Johannesburg – When Brian Mahlangu heard he couldn’t go back to university to finish his honours degree, he collected donations from his community in Middleburg, Mpumalanga to take a taxi to Johannesburg so that he could register. Now as a senior software tester at Nedbank, Mahlangu was awarded the Banking and Financial Services Sector Rising Star for 2016.  

Standard Bank’s annual award show, now in its fifth year, identifies young talent across different sectors. Entrants are aged between 28 and 40. Winners are recognised for the work they have done and have a chance to participate in a leadership and development programme throughout the year. This gives them an opportunity to network across industry sectors. So far 200 individuals have been recognised through the programme which operates in both South Africa and Kenya.

“I always wanted to do my honours, but I was told I couldn’t go back to school because of a lack of funding,” he told Fin24. Mahlangu collected R400 from members in his community, and took a taxi to UJ.

“I slept outside UJ, waiting to register the next day.” He used the R6 000 left in his student account from the previous year’s bursary from the organisation Enactus, to register. Mahlangu said if he hadn’t done that he wouldn’t have graduated.

Mahlangu joined Nedbank in 2014 as a software tester and advanced to senior tester within eight months. His work involves identifying and reporting problems to make sure systems work. He is the eldest sibling in his family. He studied at the University of Johannesburg  (UJ) where he acquired a diploma in business management, a BTech degree and an honours degree in Strategic Management.

In an interview with Fin24, he shares more on his experiences and the journey to being named a Rising Star.

What does winning the Rising Star award mean for your career?

It opened a lot of doors for me, it helped me understand what I can achieve. When I work on projects and developing new products, I now have the confidence to approach people in higher positions. Before the competition, I would push my ideas, but didn’t have something solid to prove that I could do something. Through the competition I’ve learnt to do my best and do all I can.

What made you decide to enter the competition?

I won the Nedbank Achiever Award in 2015, I was encouraged to enter the Rising Star Awards. I took the opportunity to apply and kept running with it. It was an opportunity to gain exposure and build my career. The process started with essays, followed by a panel interview. I had to explain what was unique about me in the essays, and my managers had to confirm that.

 What was most challenging in the competition?

The interview stages. They asked me if I would leave a company if I got a better offer. I told them that it’s not about the money, at this stage in my career it’s about learning as much as I can. It is important to get knowledge. If you have knowledge then you’ll be able to get all the money you need. You need to learn how things work so that you can do things for yourself. Eventually I will leave the bank to give someone else an opportunity to learn.

What set you apart from your peers?

From my perspective, how I sold myself and where I wanted to be. Through working at a financial institution I have learnt to build wealth while I still can. I am also part of the social responsibility and occupational health and safety committee and the recognition committee at work. I am passionate about social responsibility. When I was at the University of Johannesburg, I was part of the Enactus organisation.

What are some of your dreams and goals, and how has winning the award changed that?

My current goal is to own my own investment company one day. I have a savings plan to get there. I am making sure I save to put my money where I want it in future, such as buying shares.

What value do you think you can add to the financial services sector?

I add value through the ideas I bring to the bank. I try and find ways to develop products which people need, to attract the mass majority.

How did you progress so quickly in your career at Nedbank within two years?

Just by working hard. I made sure I was always available to complete tasks. I put myself out there when things had to be done.

Do you have any advice for young people?

Listen to motivational speakers, especially those who have life experiences you can learn from. People have been through hard times, all we need to do is listen to their stories to learn from them. Be aware of your environment and the people you keep around you. Most young people want to fit in. Young people need to discover who they are.

 Who is your role model?

Dr Eric Thomas. He went from being a street kid to a doctor. He is motivating and inspiring.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t give up on your dreams. Go through the trials, once you get through it, you will realise it was worth it.

Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter:

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.02
-0.6%
Rand - Pound
24.01
-0.5%
Rand - Euro
20.53
-0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.36
-0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.6%
Platinum
900.50
+0.4%
Palladium
1,002.25
+0.1%
Gold
2,211.80
+0.8%
Silver
24.62
-0.1%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,080
+0.6%
All Share
74,278
+0.5%
Resource 10
56,967
+2.4%
Industrial 25
103,572
+0.3%
Financial 15
16,456
-0.4%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders