Viral Sweets Seller Rudolph Lekay Celebrates a Bachelor’s Pass
He became a viral sensation for his hustle, but his latest achievement shows he was always serious about his education.
Photo: Facebook
The Mitchells Plain teen we all rooted for last year, Rudolph Lekay, has walked away from his final exams with a bachelor’s pass.
This achievement is the cherry on top of a story that gripped South Africa. Most of us remember him as the viral “sweet seller” who refused to let financial hurdles stop him from enjoying his matric ball.
But while the internet fell in love with his hustle, Rudolph was focused on a much bigger prize. On Monday, 12 January, as Minister Siviwe Gwarube released the National Senior Certificate results, Rudolph’s hard work officially paid off.
While many people rushed through taxi and bus terminals, he stood there from five until six each morning, selling sweets and pretzels before school. He woke up at four. Every single day followed that pattern. He sold on the route from Town Centre before travelling to Ravensmead, where he attended Florida High.
Rudolph’s story started back in Grade 9. He watched the older women at the taxi rank selling vetkoek and realised he could do something similar. He took the R150 he received as a Christmas gift and used it as his start-up capital.
He hopped in a minibus taxi to a wholesaler near Promenade Mall and grabbed whatever his budget allowed. He bought soft sweets for R45, chips for R55, and those little see-through packets for R30. He headed home with a heavy bag and a head full of dreams.
Life at home required that kind of grit. Rudolph’s mother raised four children as a single parent, and Rudolph wanted his business to do more than pay for a dance. He wanted to help her out and cover his own travel costs to Florida High in Ravensmead.
Going to school in that area is tough. Gang activity is a constant shadow over the neighbourhood. Yet, Rudolph and his classmates ignored the noise. They showed up for extra classes and filled the desks on weekends. That collective effort paid off. Florida High hit an 88.6% pass rate, with 40% of the students earning bachelor’s passes. It was the best the school had seen in three years.
Their success mirrored a bigger win for the province. The Western Cape saw a pass rate of 88.2%, the highest since the National Senior Certificate was instated.
Now, Rudolph Lekay has a bursary waiting for him. He plans to jump into business studies, which makes sense for someone who already knows how to turn a R150 gift into a future.
But meanwhile, even as he looks toward university, he continues to sell his R2 treats.
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