Johannesburg - This year business leaders were encouraged to take a workmate, an inspirational student and a matric pupil to the CEO SleepOut.
The “four partners” idea meant bringing three other company representatives to join them for the night on the bridge.
Doug Smart, chief executive of KFC for South Africa, chose a deserving employee who has a story that speaks to the cause of homelessness.
Sydney Thela ran away from home with his brother when he was 9 because of an abusive relationship in his rural KZN home.
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“You know you try to make it on your own, with no adult to look after you. My caretaker was a child herself.”
Thela's mother then brought him to Joburg.
That was when he began to thrive, and after completing matric with a distinction, he studied IT.
“My mother was a pizza waitress and earned just R1 080 per month.
“Nowadays there is not one month when a debit order doesn't go off my account for her,” said Thela, now the regional manager for KFC in North West.
Smart said the growth he had shown was phenomenal and it proved that hard work could result in career success.
“If you are exposed to a business where you need to lead others, you have so much opportunity to excel. I chose Sydney because he embraced the opportunities given to him,” said Smart.
THE STAR