Your Family – September 2019

REAL PEOPLE

SEPTEMBER 2019 29

D

iana’salwayslovedtravelling

andhasspentmostofher

careerinthetravelandtourism

industry.In 2014 shestartedher

ownshuttleservice,offeringtransportfor

schoolchildrenandthehospitalityindustry.

Ayearlater,shewasintroducedtoUber

byaparentofoneofthechildrenusing

hershuttleservice.‘Coincidentally,I’dbeen

lookingforsomethingthatwouldallowme

tospendmoretimewithmytwosons,but

stillmaintainourlifestyle.SoIclosedmy

business,boughtandregisteredanewcar

andbecameanUberdriver-partner.

'Ilovetheflexibilityofbeingable

tochoosemyworkinghours,fetchmy

youngersonfromschoolandattendhis

extramuralactivities–thingsIcouldn’tdo

before,’shesays.

InJuly2018,Dianareceivedthe

TopFemaleUberDriver-Partner

AwardinJoburg.‘Aweekorsolater,I

remembergettingmanyphonecalls

fromaprivatenumber,’shesays–but

shesimplyignoredthem.Thecaller

persisted,however,andeventually,out

offrustration,sheanswered.‘Itwas

someonefromUberinformingmethatI

neededtobeattheWanderersStadium

thenextdayforanevent.Isimply

assumedUberwashostingsomething.

Initially,Icontemplatednotgoing,

becauseIthoughtI’dmissoutondriving

clientsandmakingmoney.Ialsodidn’t

knowwhatoutfittowear.Butfinally,I

decidedtoattend.’

Onherwaythere,shenoticedcertain

roadshadbeenclosedoffnearthe

venue.Thensherememberedthatthe

NelsonMandelaMemorialLecturewas

beingheldthere.‘Ithoughtitwasstrange

thatthey’dinvitemethere,asitwasn’t

anUberevent,’sheadds.Atthegate,

shewastoldtoparkinadesignatedarea

andwasmetatthebuildingentrance

byAlonLits,Uber’sGeneralManager:

Sub-SaharanAfrica.Andthat’swhenhe

gaveherthebiggestsurpriseofherlife.

‘Hesaid:“Diana,you’remypartnerforthe

day.Comewithme–we’regoingtomeet

BarackObama!”Ialmostfainted.Iwas

speechlessandfeltarangeofemotions

rushthroughme.Ifeltsohonouredto

bechosentomeetmyall-timeiconand

rolemodel.’

Thepairmadetheirwaytoaroom

wherealltheVIPsattheevent,

includingPresidentCyril

RamaphosaandNelson

Mandela’swidow,Graça

Machel,werewaitingfor

ameet-and-greetwith

Obamabeforehislecture.

COMPILED BY NOLWAZI DHLAMINI PHOTOS BY ANDREA CALDWELL AND SUPPLIED

The

ultimate

VIP

After ignoring many calls from

a private number, DIANA DUBE

received a last-minute invitation

to an event for work. Little did she

know she’d be meeting her idol,

former US President Barack Obama

Diana describes her brief encounter

with the former American President as

unforgettable. ‘I never thought I’d be in the

same country, let alone the same room,

with such an iconic man. He’s very warm

and kind and you can tell he genuinely

cares for people, even if he’s never met

them before.’

She was also inspired by his speech

that day. ‘He encouraged everyone in the

audience never to give up, even when

life gets very tough. He stressed the

importance of kindness, unity, patience

and accepting each other’s differences.

That’s the message I’ll carry with me

forever and pass on to my boys as well.’

Diana’s also incorporated Obama’s

message into her work ethic. ‘It changed

my perspective on life because as an Uber

driver, I meet all kinds of people. I try to

make sure each of them experiences a

five-star trip with me,’ she says.