Watching planes take off and land at Port Elizabeth International Airport inspired a passion for flying in Oyama Matomela. Today she is one of South Africa’s youngest pilots. She was also the first woman to qualify as a pilot through an Eastern Cape bursary scheme.
Matomela hopes to earn a command on the jet fleet and become a training captain. She says her family, especially her mother, are proud of her accomplishments in such a male-dominated field. She gives special thanks to her mother, who she says “has been with her every step of the way throughout her training, in good and bad days”.
Catch Oyama Matomela and other inspiring South Africans playing their part to build a strong South Africa in the Play Your Part TV series on Sundays at 9pm on SABC2.
