From gardener to Oxford: How 24-year-old Sizwe Mkwanazi soared to success

- Sizwe Mkwanazi once worked as a gardener

- He nevertheless worked hard at his studies

- He is now pursuing a PhD at Oxford University

A 24-year-old South African rose from being a gardener to pursuing a doctorate degree at the prestigious Oxford University in the UK.

According to TimesLive, Sizwe Mkwanazi worked as a part-time gardener in Mpumalanga nine years ago to earn an income.

He grew up in poverty and has never seen his father, NAIJ.com learned. His grandparents raised him because his mother was just 17 when she had him.

However, Sizwe defied the odds and worked hard at his studies. He joined Gert Sibande TVET College after high school for a national vocational certificate in office administration.

He subsequently obtained a diploma in entrepreneurship at the University of Johannesburg in 2013. Thereafter, he graduated with a bachelor of technology degree from UJ in 2014.