On any normal day Tumelo Mokoena works as a cleaner at Villiers police station in northern Free State, but once he disposes of the brooms and buckets he transforms into a gospel singer. The 28-year-old who was born on a farm outside Bethlehem, also in Free State, has a powerful and rousing voice to move mountains.
Even as he pushes the broom and mops floors at the cop shop, Mokoena says there is always a soundtrack he belts as music is his greater passion than cleaning. He knew from an early age that music was his thing as he sang in church. By the time he was 17 and in Grade 8 he was already well-known in the area as a singer who performed at events organised by Dihlabeng municipality in Bethlehem.
From the first event, fuelled by the overwhelming positive feedback, Mokoena says he knew he was on the right track. He dropped out of Bethlehem College, where he was studying administration, due to financial problems. Music provided solace and with the little he could scrape together, he recorded some demos.
He managed to record his debut album Jesu O Na Le Nna in 2013. Some of the tracks are played on radio. Unfazed by the challenges he has faced in his life and career, Mokoena says he's learned that to survive in the music industry, one needs to be a focused hard worker who is prayerful and pious.
"There are challenges and disappointments, but you have to be strong in faith. Even when people hurt me when they don't honour their promises, this is a calling I can't avoid," Mokwena shares.
He says his album is about a person who has overcome problems and advances towards victory - the story of his life.
"God has taken me far. I come from the farms of Bethlehem and God has been merciful to me. Whatever I have achieved so far I feel blessed... I see a way forward.
"I want to be one of the top singers in the country and win awards and be exemplary to children growing up on farms. I feel for them because they always look down on themselves and don't believe that they can reach their dreams.
"I'm thankful to the SAPS for the [work] opportunity. I'm also where I am because of the prayers and support of my spiritual father Lazarus Mathibe who was there for me when things were really bad and I was losing hope. Mokoena, whose name Tumelo means "faith", wishes to work with the likes of Jaziel Brothers, Teboho Moloi and Lebo Sekgobela. He's preparing to record his second album at a Durban studio.