NATIONAL NEWS & VIDEO - In the parking lot of a mall in Hartbeespoort opera sounds come from a most unexpected source.
The beautiful baritone notes from Mozart’s Italian opera Don Giovanni, sounds from the lips of car guard Abdias Mkhabela.
The 32-year-old Abdias wanted above all to be an opera singer since he was small, “but life situations happen” as he puts it, and now he sings in the Village Mall’s parking lot as he watches over cars and directs motorists out of parking spaces.
Hailing from Mpumalanga, where his family still lives, Abdias came to Hartbeespoort in 2006 and became a car guard. “It is not that I wanted to be a car guard, but things happen in life and now I am here,” he gestures. However, he will never give up his dream to sing and actively practice his talent. “It is my big wish, to be able to use the talent I received.”
Abdias started singing when he was in Standard 2 in a primary school in Mpumalanga. “My teacher heard my voice and put me in the choir. He said I had a good voice for opera. We took part in various national competitions and I always ended up in the finals,” he says.
Hailing from Mpumalanga, where his family still lives, Abdias came to Hartbeespoort in 2006 and became a car guard. “It is not that I wanted to be a car guard, but things happen in life and now I am here,” he gestures. However, he will never give up his dream to sing and actively practice his talent. “It is my big wish, to be able to use the talent I received.”
Abdias started singing when he was in Standard 2 in a primary school in Mpumalanga. “My teacher heard my voice and put me in the choir. He said I had a good voice for opera. We took part in various national competitions and I always ended up in the finals,” he says.
Watch a video below.
