When Gugu Zulu was growing up, his parents gave him one piece of advice: ‘Chase your dreams’. And boy, did he ever.
Even as a wide-eyed six-year-old, Gugu had only one driving ambition. He wanted to drive, faster and further than anybody else.
As a South African sports car champion, global rally superstar, Hollywood movie stunt driver, TV presenter and advanced driving instructor, Gugu was proof that dreams can come true, if you put your foot down and stay on the right track.
Along the way, in the face of mounting challenge and scepticism, he’s had jump starts from motoring legend Sarel van der Merwe, his own relentless self-belief and persistence, and a chance encounter with a lady reading a newspaper at the poolside in Warmbaths.
With his multi-platform career in high gear, Gugu sat down with Ruda Landman in 2015 to chat about dreams and destiny, the physical toll of motor racing, and what it’s like to live your best life at 280 kilometres an hour.
* This interview was first published in June, 2015. Gugu sadly passed away on Monday, 18 July 2016 while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Our sincere condolences to his wife, Letshego, family and friends.
Transcript:
R: Hello, and once again, welcome to the Change Exchange, where our guest today … Gugu Zulu. What do they call you? The fastest brother in Africa?
G: Ja, the fastest brother in Africa and so far it seems to be sticking. So ja.
R: You grew up in Soweto in 1980s 1990s? How did a black boy get into racing?
G: I’m not sure … me … I’ve always had a passion for cars. My mom tells this story of me; when I was about six years old, she used to ask: “Gugulethu, what do you want to do when you grow up?” And at that point, all she said I said was: “A driver.” She used to ask: “A taxi driver? A bus driver? What kind of a driver?” And I just wanted to be a driver. I think things really started to materialise when I started collecting magazines around 10, 11 years old and following motorsport on TV as well. And that’s when I really kind of channelled myself and said I wanted to be in motorsport. Some sort of motorsports activity. And as you know, at that time things were very challenging, particularly for my folks to be able to afford, number one to get me into motorsport …
R: When are you talking about? Eighties, nineties?
G: Probably early nineties.
R: Things were deurmekaar.
G: Extremely. Life was very challenging and I think at the same time South Africa as a whole was going through a lot of changes. Particularly in 1994, and I think at that time, as I said, the closest I could get to motorsport was not even attending an event as such, but following it in magazines and watching it on TV. And I used to also collect car models, which every month I would ask my dad, please, can I have some pocket money … I’d save up for a couple of months and then I’d go and get myself a car model and I’m all over this thing and I’d say I wish I could drive this thing one day. And I used to watch a car show such as Drive Time, with Alan Johnson, and I always told my folks, you say: “You know what, one day I actually want to do that and be a presenter and talk about …”
R: And what did they say?
G: My mom was very supportive and even my dad as well and they’d say: “Listen, chase after your dreams.” You know, I was very fortunate that I didn’t have parents who said: “You’ve got to be a lawyer or you’ve got to be a doctor.” It was: “Gugu, be a free spirit. Chase after your dreams.” And they encouraged me the support came in and they’d say: “Hey, here’s a new car magazine.” Or: “Hey, here’s a new model.” And I think that base as well was very solid and it helped me to actually propel myself to search for that dream and make it happen.
R: Can you remember the first time you actually saw a race?
G: It was back in 1990 … probably 1992. Ja, 1992 at Kyalami. And it was like a Formula Ford race, and a Formula Vee. And for me at that time to go and say to my folks: “Listen, I want to go to Kyalami today.” And they’d say: “Kyalami? Why do you want to go and do that?” And you know, living in Soweto, Kyalami was very far away at that time. And it was, like, okay, cool. My dad took me over and myself and a friend of mine, Elmiar Nokovich, we then went to Kyalami.
R: So your dad went with you?
G: My dad went, but he dropped us at the gate and he was like: “Cheers boys, enjoy your day.” And we went all over the place. It was an amazing day. We took lots of photographs. in fact, I used to cycle from Soweto, all the way to Investment Cars, as well as I think it was House of Sports Cars, and it was all of these wonderful cars. And I remember going back to school after the holidays and showcasing it to my friends and they would go: “Why do you do this? Dude, why? You’ll never become a racing driver, because you’re a black guy, you know? There’ll never be a chance where there’ll be a Michael Schumacher followed by Gugu Zulu – it will never happen!” But today, at least I can say that those guys have all come back and apologised.
R: But how did you react? Deep inside yourself, I mean?
G: Just fulfilment, I think. I felt at peace.
R: No, but everyone constantly saying you can’t do this … get it …
G: That part? That part was very harsh. I mean, especially in High School. People used to always … I think in High School … from Primary School you’re pretty much open-minded to anything in life, but then when you get to High School, then comes the real life, so to say.
R: Time to get serious?
G: Yes, get serious with life. And I think at that time, it was very harsh for me when people discouraged me and would say: “Listen, it will never happen.” And I guess that’s the part where then it just said: “Listen, we’ve got to make it happen.” I didn’t want anything else. I didn’t want to do anything else. I didn’t want to be a doctor, I didn’t want to be a lawyer. I just wanted to be a driver. A racing driver, that is. And I had to look and find a way to get into the sport. I used to call up … there’s a gentleman by the name of Peter Wise, who was looking after a sponsorship for Sasol, and I called him up once … And …
R: Just cold?
G: Just cold. Cold call: “Hi, can I please speak to Peter Wise?” And unfortunately the secretary says: “Sorry, he’s not available at the moment.” So I called about … probably eight times or so … Eventually I did get hold of him and said: “Peter, I’d like to actually get involved. I understand you’re running a development program?”
R: How old were you at that time?
G: At that time I was still in High School. I was about 16, 17. And he told me: “Sorry, that program is closed. So is the entries.” And he dropped the phone on me. Little does he know, at that time, a few years later he would be the one calling me and actually be doing my press releases, and helping me in terms of managing my sponsorships, so I say sometimes the wheel turns.
R: How did you get into the academy?
G: The academy … I was actually on holiday with my family out in Warmbaths. Warmbad, as it was called. And we were at this pool area and I was actually just relaxing and chilling. And I saw an Afrikaans lady sitting on the right of me. And she was reading a Sowetan newspaper. Now, remember – 19… early nineties? Probably about 1996. A lady. Afrikaans. Reading the Sowetan newspaper in Warmbaths of all places. A little bit weird. So I asked her: “Please, can I have a look at the newspaper?” And I did. And in it was a whole article of how motorsports wants blacks. And they were talking about a development program that they were running at Kyalami Racetrack and there was a number at the bottom for a gentleman by the name of Vusi Kunene, and I promptly called him and the following week I was at Kyalami.
R: Sjoe, the angels were there, heh?
G: They were really smiling at me. And the following week I told my dad, showed them, I said: “Guys, please. I’ve gotta go.”
R: You were in matric then?
G: I was in matric then, yes. Getting into matric. And 1996 I was going into Post-Matric, actually. So I then went to Kyalami and when we got in it was just an introduction to motorsports, the basics of the administration of the sport and then we’d get exposed to some of the race meetings that were happening at Kyalami and then we were taught marshalling and then the basics of go-carting, which was my strength, you know, because that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to be behind the wheel. Not behind the flag.
R: I want to be a driver.
G: I want to be a driver. So we did well. And I think the program as well was just a program to introduce kids from previously disadvantaged communities to motorsport. They used to bus us from Soweto in Dube and we would all meet up early morning around 6:00am and then get bussed through to Kyalami and be there from about 7:00am and then spend a whole day being exposed to all these activities. I would have Kyalami marshals come and present. We would have some people come and talk about the sponsorship, come and talk about the administration and obviously when there’s a race meeting again we’d get exposed to that. And then ja, the carting element was then put together. We’d go-cart, occasionally. But it was really indoor go-carts, so not the competitive racing.
R: Not on the track yet.
G: Not on a race track. But that all then materialised and came to … became a bit bigger than it was at that stage. In 1997 … 1998 actually. When they were going to introduce a sports car series – a development sports car series called Isondo Sports Car Series, and this series would basically travel throughout the country with a main roadshow of racing at the time, and then they were asking: “Right, we need to get you guys to do trials and see as to who can actually drive, and who can’t, and probably about 560 kids tried out for this wonderful program, and out of that I was one of the lucky 20 to be selected for the first season in 1999.
R: And then you won the Vodacom Isondo Sports 2000 National Championship? Take us back when you knew: “I’m there.” That moment.
G: You know, I think in 1998 we actually had the trials. So when I made it to the top 20 to ride in the following year, which was 1999, our very first race took place at Kyalami and it was the 31st of Jan. I’ll never forget that day. Beautiful day, sunny, the works. And I qualified in the front row – not on pole position, but I was on second spot, and I knew I had what it takes. Out of 20 guys, here I am. I’m sitting on the front row, and the times were very, very close to each other. But I lacked a lot of race craft. I never raced. Whereas my team mate had some sort of exposure. His father was involved in motorsport as well. He was an Indian boy – Ishar Jaffer – And he already started go-carting at a competitive level – not even at a level that I’d been in. Needless to say we went into the first corner, second corner, and I think it was probably the fifth corner that I got spun out. And I lost out on that race, so my first race of any form of racing whatsoever, I’d actually spun out in the fifth corner. But I made it up, because actually in the afternoon in the second race I was able to start at the back and I managed to weave my way all the way – I think we finished second for that race, and that’s the time I knew that this is what I was going for. This is my thing, this is my passion and this is what I have to make work. And I think we had a brilliant year, although I lacked a lot of race craft, I used to do lots of lap records, so I did all the races that we used to go to but I’d never actually finish, because I’d always either spin out afterwards or crash or something just went wrong. But the following year in 2000 I actually put things into … I bundled up my training from the previous year and it all came together perfectly. So much so, that out of 18 races, we won 16 and the other two we kind-of gave other children a chance also to enjoy the win. That was just the crowning moment for me.
R: What does this teach one? You know, you say that you spun out, you didn’t win, you all kind of things went wrong, but you kept going. That was what you wanted to do. What does this teach you?
G: I think for me, it’s about perseverance and patience and planning and there’s a little bit more than that as well, because in the end life is not perfect. It’s not always smooth sailing, it’s constantly challenging and it’s either going up or down, sideways, you name it. So I think you learn from your experiences in life and every moment that you live and the challenges that you face, it’s part of learning and you can always do things a little bit better and improve and move forward.
R: But you had one vision, and nothing was going to …
G: Nothing. Besides, the fact that (A), I’m a black boy that wants to be in motorsport, of course, when you got to the circuit you stood out like a sore thumb. And that was like … hey … and then: “What’s your story?” It was just the way it was.
R: Did you feel unwelcome? Or did you feel … just exotic?
G: Nice word, actually! That’s a nice way of looking at it. I always tease … myself and my wife we do so many other things, and we sometimes feel like we’re the endangered species at certain places. But no, I think, I remember the 31st of Jan, 1999, you know, the whole pit lane of all the drivers and … you know, they all looked at this development program … many of whom were very negative about it. Because (A) why all these black boys get these cars and … why? But they all stood on the sidelines of that pit wall and they were waiting to see a big crash on the first corner. Many of them were making bets about it and saying “They’re going to have a big crash and never succeed”. And thankfully, we never did. We actually completed a full lap and we were all running. It was all good. And I just think at the same time it’s just one of those things that we had to go through, it’s a hurdle that we got through and thankfully, here I am today. I’m a multiple champion and I’m established and I am making a career out of my passion, and that’s motorsport.
R: Bloody marvellous. You met Sarel Van Der Merwe around that time?
G: Ja! SuperVan. You know, it’s funny. We were still … I think it was probably 1997 when we’re doing this Isondo Academy and being introduced to motorsport, I remember walking in the pits and I saw him and I said: “Hey, Sarel!” And I wanted to kind of walk up to him and say: “Hey, how are you?” And instead he just brushed me off, and he said: “Ja. Hello.” And he continued walking. He didn’t look at me. I was kind of shattered by that, but needless to say, I mean, this is the Sarel Van Der Merwe I’ve seen on TV commercials and THE driver. It was odd that 2000, here I am, I get a phone call from SuperVan himself to say: “Hey, Zulu.” You know, this very grovel voice, saying: “I want you to come and drive for me next year.” And I mean, who would’ve thought …
R: Did you think someone was pulling a prank on you?
G: And I said: “Is this really Sarel?” And he said: “Ja!” In that deep … you can’t … Sarel’s got a certain voice and his dry sense of humour as well.
R: And when you put the phone down?
G: I couldn’t believe it. I probably did a whole jump and a skip, you name it! Because there it is – a legend. A South African motorsport legend calling me to ask me to come and drive for him! And I then went to meet him and then he told me: “Listen, I’m starting a team next year, and I would like you to partner up with me.” Sjoe! And that just said right, this is exactly the vehicle that I needed just to move it up a notch. And it’s no longer about development anymore – it’s about me getting into the mainstream of the sport and playing with the big boys. And that’s what we did. It was an amazing experience for me. The first time getting a full sponsorship package, the first time actually driving a V8 which was way … like five or six times more powerful than the sports car that I rode. And you know, many people have taken many years to get to that position. I took a very short space of time and had to learn so much, and now I’m competing with guys who have been racing longer than I’ve been alive, and I have to actually deliver as well. And the challenge was there. I mean, it’s not easy to step into a very fast car like that – a Wesbank V8 – it’s almost 600 BhP and we could reach speeds of almost 280 down at the coast and that’s superfast! And to be able to then say: “Get in the car. Drive.” And I’m like: “What? Me?” I always wished to be in that car and here I am. I am the one driving and we’re doing the whole South African Championship. So it was an amazing experience and it did not go as I had planned in terms of my wishes of winning the championship, but that’s just some of the dramas that comes with life, you know. But it was learnings. It wasn’t perfect, however the experience of having him as a mentor …
R: What was the most important thing that he taught you?
G: I think, for me, Sarel lived his life like a rock star. He’s probably the only rock star in terms of motorsports. He’s lived it. And you know, even from a competition point of view, he’d say: “Listen, you know, the next person is just like you. If you get into the same machinery you should be able to beat him. You must decide that you want to be number 1. A car – you’re the one in control. Never let it be in control of you.”
R: Sjoe, what a lesson is that!
G: So you just basically control your destiny. But it was an amazing experience – I had two years of Sarel Van Der Merwe as my mentor, and throughout my career I was able to give him a call and say: “Hey, I need some assistance with one, two, three. Your thoughts? Did you watch me race today? What did you think?” It’s amazing. It’s absolutely awesome to be able to have that type of relationship … And he included me in his book!
R: Have you reached out to younger people? Are you mentoring?
G: I have … The experience … all of this has been really great. You know, motorsport in South Africa is still a hobby, as opposed to being an industry … so the change is very slow. It’s non-existent. I get calls, and Facebook is buzzing … You know, YouTube … “Gugu, hey man! I look after you! I want to be just like you. How do I get involved in motorsport?” And that’s the saddest part. I don’t have an answer for them. As it is, even for myself to stay relevant is very difficult. It’s all about sponsorship and if you don’t have a sponsor or you’re not able to fund yourself into the sport, it’s very difficult to get in. And I think that’s where the challenge is. And I feel that it’s sad that we’ve got so many talented youngsters out there who I believe can drive. I mean, you see some videos of guys spinning their cars. And I’m telling you, things that you see in Soweto or any other township in South Africa … You’ll be shocked as to how these boys can actually just get in and just do the business. But they just need that stepping stone, and I think that’s where the problem is. Is that the avenues of access are very limited and it’s all about money in the end.
R: How have you managed to make it a career?
G: I think, you know, when I look back as well in terms of my path as the development programs that I was involved in, it’s unfortunate that they’re no longer around. They’re no longer happening. I was probably one of about 100 graduates that came through the Sports 2000 Series, because it ran for about three years. And of that I’m the only one that’s still active in motorsport and actually racing. And the sad fact is I’m the only black racing driver currently, at the national level. In other words racing nationally. Which is sad, because we had this program, but at the same time it’s all about the individual as well. I believe that, you know, I don’t come from money. My parents did not have holds of money just to say right, let’s just splash you and put you into motorsport. I didn’t. But I understood the fact that motorsport is a business as well. And hence, I pushed my educational side of things to study sports management, and also understand the marketing aspect of the sport that I was doing, because hey, I wanted to stay in it and be relevant. And the best way of doing it is equipping yourself with skills to stay and be a player. And I think that’s what’s worked for me. Because here I am – I understood that I need to be a brand ambassador, and how to market myself and open certain opportunities. All about image and being able to play a role that the sponsors expect and want and therefore, I’ve built myself as a brand name in South Africa in terms of motorsport, and I’m very lucky that I have an association with Sasol that spans over 10 years now. Volkswagen, also over 12 years. And I think that shows itself that you know … you need to understand the business of motorsports and at the same time work the system so that it also benefits you.
R: You also presented for a while on television? What was it? Car Talk? Car Torque? Was it fun?
G: Amazing! Still today I pinch myself and wonder as to: “Am I actually living this life? It’s a blessing. I’ve always wanted … I watched a TV show called Drive Time with Alan Johnson and Hendrik Verwoerd, and eventually I got a call up once I made my name in the sport and they asked me as to whether would I be keen in doing a couple of tests, and I said yes. And this time round it was called Car Torque. And I did that for about four, five years. And I found that to be the most exciting part of my life, because I got to drive so many fancy cars, cars that I always dreamed of. Cars that I could never afford as well.
R: It really is a boy’s dream!
G: It is a boy’s dream! What better is like: “Listen, here’s the keys to a Ferrari. Go and drive and tell us what you think. If you get it sideways, so what? But play!” And it’s been an amazing experience. As I said, I’ve ticked so many boxes in terms of my bucket list and driving so many fancy cars and being exposed to it. I’m still continuing today – I’m doing it for Ignition TV and I get to test wonderful machines and talk about them and share my passion about motoring. So it’s been an amazing experience to date.
R: Television is an interesting thing that you do actually feel a relationship with your audience even though you never see them, heh?
G: I know! Yes. I think at first I struggled with it because hey, I’m talking to a camera and there’s no-one that can tell me what’s going on, but eventually you get used to it and you get to understand it that you’re actually conveying a message about the car and about the experience.
R: And these days you get feedback through social media, et cetera.
G: I get a lot of feedback. I mean, people that tell me: “Ah, but Gugu, I drive a little Tazz and I love my Tazz but you said you don’t like it?” And I said: “Ja, get a Picanto or something else – something a little safer!” It’s nice to be able to interact with the public on another basis because people are sharing their passion as well and I’m able to also relate to say: “Hey, yes, I’ve experienced one, two, three. Try it this way.” So it’s good to be able to share that as well with the viewers and I’m loving the opportunity to be able to work on such a … it’s an honour, actually. To be able to work in this industry.
R: But you’re also an avid cyclist, heh?
G: You know, Ruda, I had to … Motorsport is a physical activity. Many people think that drivers just sit and they just steer the steering wheel.
R: Ja, even imagining it I can feel it here.
G: Ja, so your core takes a beating and your level of fitness needs to be up. And yes, I’ve basically taken to mountain biking as a sport that I really enjoy, because the nice thing about it is I get to see the country as well and be outdoors. I don’t like the gym. The gym life – it’s so confined – it’s so …
R: Boring!
G: Boring! I’m out there in nature and to be able to see our beautiful country on a bicycle – I’d recommend that to anybody. If ever the opportunity comes, just take a bike and ride down to Durban or down to the Eastern Cape. Whatever! But the point is get on a bike and get physical and at the same time be outdoors and enjoy the wonderful, beautiful nature that we have.
R: And the nice thing is that you and your now-wife can share that?
G: My wife, you know, is such a blessing. She’s an avid runner and I don’t quite like running. I remember we’d go to Kyalami to go and do a jog around the track, but I found it so frustrating to try and keep up with her because she’s a little bit stronger than me. So that’s why I ended up taking my bike along and she’d run and I’d cycle alongside. But we have a passion for the outdoors and being active and our lifestyle is really all about active. She runs and she’s also an adventurous person and it just kind-of fitted so well that we were able to …
R: How did you meet her?
G: She stalked me!
R: Lucky boy!
G: She stalked me, because I did a profile on a magazine of sorts and … I think it was YFM Magazine at the time, and she saw it and was reading it and she was based down in the Eastern Cape at Grahamstown, while at school. So she saw this picture and she was like: “Ah, this guy is quite nice.” And it so happened that her roommate actually knew one of my best friends as well. And she said: “Ja, I know this guy, this guy is Gugu. We can introduce you.” And they got my number and then she sent me an SMS to say she’s an alien and I’m enjoying this and I’m finding this exciting because I’m smiling and I thought: “Why?” And she kept at me with that SMS and for seven months we started chatting by SMS – SMS at that time was still a bit costly, but needless to say I did a lot of: “Dad, can I please get some pocket money?” But we SMSed for seven months and eventually we met up for our very first date …
R: Can you remember the moment you saw her?
G: I’ve not seen her! Remember, seven months of chatting to someone who I don’t know what she looked like. At the time we didn’t have smartphones so we couldn’t exactly SMS a picture. So I went to Fourways, that’s where we were meeting. At about 13:30. So I’m waiting at a restaurant and I’m overlooking the parking lot and I needed to go down to the car and drop off my bag, so as I’m waiting I look across and this beautiful girl that’s coming this way with an old lady and there was this old guy next to her and they were walking through towards the mall. And I admired her, I was thinking: “Wow, she’s gorgeous! And I wonder – I hope if my person is coming she is equally gorgeous. So I go to the car and drop off my bags and my phone rings. And I pick up: “Hello?” And it’s like: “Hey, it’s me. I’m waiting here at the entrance.” So when I looked back up at the entrance it was the very same girl I was admiring, coming this way. It was her! And I was just doing all of these moments like: “Yes!” And we hit it off from our very first date, so much so that two months later, three months later I actually went to Grahamstown to her matric dance.
R: Good heavens! Okay.
G: Ja, we did the matric dance thing and today I’m glad to say that we’re 14 years later, we’re married, we have our first year of marriage …
R: Don’t jump over. I want to hear about the proposal!
G: Well, ja, look. We’ve been dating for so long -–14 years – and we got a wonderful opportunity to basically do the Absa Cape Epic and we trained for it …
R: That’s a race and a half.
G: It’s the toughest mountain bike race in the world. It’s the Tour de France of mountain biking. And you race against professionals as well, as well as amateurs and only 600 teams enter.
R: And you have to be in a team?
G: You have to be in a team. So now, with myself and my dearest girlfriend of the time – we’re not experienced at this form of racing and we’ve never done such a long stage race, so …
R: How long was it?
G: It was 735 k’s. So what we did is we basically partnered up with people who were experienced. So I got a friend of mine who was also a good mountain biker, and she as well got a guy by the name of Ernest Viljoen, but very good and he was going to look after her. And we did this race, and of the seven days of the race, I think on the third or fourth day, there was a time where I was riding – because we had started ahead of Letshego, and myself and my partner were about a good hour … we thought we were about an hour. The next thing there was a part where everyone in the group was pushing – pushing their bikes, going up this climb, and then I heard: “Baby?” And I turned around and it was my dearest girlfriend, and she was riding and she rode past us and for three days she kept on beating us by an hour or so, but on the last day I had to actually ask her partner, like: “Listen, I’ve got a bit of something I want to do, and I need you to finish behind me because if you finish ahead of me it doesn’t work.” And he said: “What do you mean?” And I’m like, look – popped out the ring and I showed him the ring and he was so excited that he then was able to control Letshego’s pace going into the last day. And actually slow her down a little bit. So I managed to finish the Epic before her and while we were waiting they were tracking her, could see where she was on the course, and about 100m before the last corner on to the finish line, got down to my knees and I waited for her to come through and it was a very special moment, because we also had our folks – we got our folks to come through and actually experience this wonderful moment and it was just bliss, because I told her: “I’m sorry I took you through the Epic – I was not testing you or anything, but now that you’ve done it, congratulations. Can you come through and join me in my epic life?”
R: And did she say yes?
G: She said yes and life just got better and it’s been an amazing experience. It’s only a year and a bit that we’re married, and I’m super excited to inform you right now that we’ve got a little package – a little Zulu princess on the way … An adventure baby.
R: I can see you’re deeply excited. Are you making specific preparations? What are you doing? Have you done the baby room?
G: You know, you talk about changes – it’s amazing, you know. Life is about to get exciting for me and my dearest wife. We’re having a Zulu princess coming into our lives, and it’s something that I’ve always wanted. I wanted a girl first. And the other thing is my parents -–so is Letshego’s parents – are going to be first-time grandparents as well. So it’s a change for everybody around us. As for us, as well, we’ve got a nice little house and we’ve got three bedrooms and got a bedroom that’s now basically allocated to the Zulu princess’s coming. The colour scheme has been chosen, the painting needs to be done, so I had to … I’ve done my last Epic a few months ago and now I’m focused on just getting the baby room ready. So things such as the floor – the carpets had to go – we had to put laminated floors. We need to put some sponges, we need to put the yellow and grey … So it’s a wonderful change and we’re super excited. We cannot wait, and it even boils down to the kind of car that I’m driving, you know.
R: It needs to accommodate a baby chair.
G: The Golf GTI has got to go, and now we’ve got a Tiguan to be able to take everything that we need and it’s a beautiful moment. Life is about to get really exciting.
R: Where’s the home and how did you buy that?
G: Well I got the … I had a one bedroom. Letshego had a one bedroom as well, because we were living apart. And we decided to find a nice little nook to start our lives just before we got married. And in fact, a week after we got married we moved into our place and we’re based in the Paulshof area, which is quite solid. It’s exactly the right neighbourhood. My parents are three kilometres to the left, her mom is three kilometres to the right, so it’s ideal for those babysitting moments. And it’s a start and the idea is that let’s get this house until the little one is slightly older, and obviously we have another Zulu boy or girl come later on, only then we’ll expand to a bigger house. For now it’s a nice little complex and it suits the stage of life that we’re at right now. It’s the ideal place. Because I was in a one bedroom and it was just enough for me. So now we have to make the circle a little bit bigger and it’s a wonderful place. But ideal starting point and I think it’s just … can only grow and get better from now on.
R: How did you experience the change from having your own space, to now sharing?
G: That is something that was very difficult, but … it’s not easy. But I’m coming from a home where it was myself and my sister. And therefore that space was – I’m used to being the four of us. My parents, as well as my sister. Whereas my dearest wife was a single child and she was only with one, single parent as well. So you can imagine that it’s totally different, especially for her, but when we came together into the one space, yes, I had my little niggles. I enjoyed my space and she enjoyed her space as well, but we made it work and you adapt to it. Thankfully, as I said, we are quite adventurous people so she took offence to me hanging my bikes in one of the rooms, which she doesn’t like. And I had to beg her, like I don’t want to take my bikes to the garage. I didn’t even have a garage at that time, but you know, what am I going to do? And it was like: “But you cannot have bikes hanging in the TV room – it just doesn’t work.” So those are the kind of changes that we had to compromise on, and it’s fine …
R: He says gritting his teeth!
G: But we’ve managed to make it work. Although, as I said, she’s more … She’s very arty and she likes things in a certain way, whereas for me, I’m really a free spirit, but I’m not saying I’m messy. It’s just that … So I’ve got a bike in the middle of the living room. If I had it my way I’d pop my car next to it! But for now I guess we’ll just have to just enjoy the ride because it’s a joint government now.
R: All of the very best, and I wish you so much happiness with your Zulu princess.
G: Thank you so much, and I cannot wait, as I said – the best part of my life is about to begin, I feel really blessed to be living the life I’m living and what more to do it in South Africa, that’s constantly changing, constantly growing, opportunities are really quite big and it’s an honour for me to be here and experience and share my story with you.
R: Good luck, all of the best.
G: Thank you very much.
R: Till next time, goodbye.
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