By Staff Reporter
BA-PHALABORWA- Multi-award-winning musician Alfred Mokgalaka affectionately known as Alley Moca, proved that hard work pays off by winning the best teacher award during the National Teaching Awards ceremony which took place at the CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria on Thursday, October 20.
He won the best teacher award in South Africa, and the excellence award for a teacher who is innovative and excelled in improving the standard of education.
Moca is a teacher at Hoerskool Frans Du Toit in Phalaborwa, he teaches Xitsonga language and Geography.
He explained that the award means a lot although his plan was not all about the awards but transforming a learner’s life from point A to point Z, from being nothing to something.
In 2001, the album scooped Metro FM’s Best RnB award. The album featured the song called Khombo, the cover version of Khombo Ra Mina by the late Paul Ndlovu.
The award winner further said he introduced the Xitsonga language at his school. He competed against 371 educators from the nine provinces. “I thank my school principal, Mr Johan Janse Van Ransburg, who encouraged him to enter the competition, this is one person who believes in me and saw something great in me. I am grateful.” He said.
The dedicated educator has started Xitsonga online channel on YouTube whereby he shares lessons on the platform. “I thank God for this opportunity, you get paid for being a teacher, but being recognised like this is an honour, I am proud of myself because I managed to change drug addicts into normal people without even exposing them.,” Moca explained.
His prize was in the form of monetary and many other prizes. Mokgalaka further mentioned that he will be able to donate over R500k in the form of a bursary to a deserving learner and a library to a school of his choice.
Mokgalaka said that he will continue demonstrating qualities at engaging in quality teaching, helping students to achieve long-term career goals by organising engagements with relevant activities, and networks that enhance the social and cultural value of learning, and encouraging desirable behaviour among students through positive feedback.
Between 2007 and 2015, his hit tracks N’waNgoveni, Ndzi Tswontswe Manama ka Hume, Khinyaveza and KaMzi earned Moca the best RnB accolades at the annual Xitsonga music awards
