Teen Sells $2 Sweets, Earns Full Business School Bursary

Rudolph Lekay starts his business degree on Monday, becoming the first person in his family to attend college.

The Mitchells Plain teenager earned it through sheer grit. For months, he woke at 4 AM to sell R2 sweets at a taxi rank before catching the bus to school, determined to fund his matric ball without burdening his pensioner mother.

His story sparked something powerful. When News24 shared his journey, South Africans from across the globe dug into their pockets. Donations flooded in from the US, China, and Singapore. His original R10,000 goal was smashed in just over a week.

But the real reward came after Rudolph earned his Bachelor's pass. The Alfeco Foundation offered him a fully-funded three-year BCom in Strategic Brand Management at Emeris in Cape Town. The bursary covers everything: tuition, accommodation, textbooks, and even a stipend for food and clothes.

"It sounds insane, mostly because opportunities like this don't always come around for youngsters from the Cape Flats," Rudolph told News24, fighting back tears.

Last week, he attended orientation and explored his new campus. From his lecture hall, he can see Table Mountain stretching across the skyline. He met his lecturers and toured potential student accommodation in the bustling Cape Town CBD.

His four sisters all passed matric but went straight into working. As the youngest child, Rudolph is breaking new ground for his entire family.

"I'm going to make myself and my family proud," he said.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine isn't just the bursary or the viral fame. It's what happened on Friday morning before orientation. While most teenagers slept in, Rudolph was back at the Town Centre taxi rank, selling sweets again. An hour later, he boarded the bus to campus.

Old habits die hard, but this one reveals character. Rudolph hasn't forgotten where he came from or the work ethic that got him here.

Sachin Ahuja, founder of the Alfeco Foundation, said Rudolph's resilience and quiet strength moved them to act. "Supporting him was not just about academic merit, but about investing in a young man who shows both potential and perseverance."

Rudolph starts class Monday with a clear vision: build the entrepreneurial future he's always dreamed of.

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