At home we were not poor and also not rich. Life was good. When I was still in primary school I would get everything because I was the first-born, so growing up I was very spoilt because I was the only child for a while. I remember when it was Teacher's Day, I was the most envied kid when it came to giving gifts to our teachers. Because my father worked in Johannesburg, I would always bring my teachers expensive gifts. I would bring them Colgate soaps and a hundred meticais. Back then it was big money.

Our school was not under government, it was privately managed, and the teacher was paid from our school fees. The school was made out of cane, with no proper classrooms, and every month people would come and fix it. We learnt under the trees. All the subjects were taught in Portuguese.

When I would come back from school my mother would be at work at the electoral commission. A helper was always there to assist me to bath, eat and do homework. Even though my mother only obtained a grade four certificate, every day when she arrived home she would first ask me: ‘What did you do at school?’ and after that, she would look at my homework. Then she would ask, ‘What did your teacher talk about today?’

My mother was very strict and would discipline you if you were out of order. My father could not beat a child; he was the kind of father that will tell you straight that you don't beat a child. He preferred to sit you down and guard you.