Enjoy Buyisile and Ayanda Sokhonze’s Love Story❤️

Buyisile Sikhondze (nee Tsabedze, 29) was born in Mbabane, and mostly grew up in Manzini and spent time in other places such as Simunye. Ayanda Sikhondze (36) was born in Hlatikhulu and grew up in the Shiselweni region (mainly Nhlangano and Zombodze Emuva). 

The two got married in March 20, 2016 and have one child, a son. 

How They Met

Buyi and Ayanda first met in March 2014 on her first day of work at an NGO in Mbabane. Buyi recalls Ayanda introducing himself to her and telling her that they had been expecting her as a mutual friend had already informed him that she would be working there. Thinking back, she says: “I thought this guy was forward because he just approached me very openly”. She further remembers him being “good-looking with his glasses.”

Recalling his first impression of her, Ayanda remarks: “I thought she was a nice person, obviously beka muhle. I was intrigued, I wanted to know more about her.” He further explains: “I always say there was something that just happened the first time I met Buyi…I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but what I always tell my friends is that the first time I met Buyi I met my wife.” 

The couple started out as friends and got more acquainted as co-workers that hung out together outside office hours with a group of other colleagues. Their friendship naturally blossomed into a courtship as they started spending more time together the following year. During this time they enjoyed hanging out at each other’s places watching movies (something they discovered they both loved) and cooking together.

Challenges

Finding love at the workplace meant that they had to eventually come forward with their relationship by informing HR, thus putting an official stamp to the relationship. Buyi recalls being nervous about this as she had just started working at the organisation and was worried about how her co-workers would perceive their being together.

Another challenge had to do with the issue of emotional baggage. Coming from a previous  relationship that had negatively affected him, Ayanda recalls how he entered his new relationship with Buyi feeling “broken” and how being with her helped restore him to a good place. 

Lessons

Buyi asserts that learning to forgive has been instrumental in moving the relationship forward and helping to let go of past grievances. She says she also had to learn to forgive the people from her past relationships so as to avoid entering the present one with bitterness.

Proposal

One day, almost out of the blue, Ayanda sat her down and told her that he wanted to get married and further informed her of the date on which he planned to pay lobola for her. He then said they should talk to their parents and again the dates for these dialogues were set. Ayanda remarks, “I had set everything – I had timelines and everything.” Buyi relates how this conversation came as a surprise as the topic of marriage and kids was not one she readily discussed whilst they were dating. On the other hand, Ayanda says he had always declared his intention to one day settle down, get married and have children. 

What Makes the Present Partner Different

For Buyi, she feels that in Ayanda she’s found someone who is mature and sober-minded, knows what he wants in life and is a gentleman. For Ayanda, he feels she is more calm and grounded than the previous tinhlanya that he had dated; hence dating her was a “refreshing experience”. He also states that she gets things done and pushes him and has even taught him how to say sorry. He interestingly asserts: “I always say when I met Buyisile I could sense the type of wife and mother she would be and I think most of those things are falling into place.” 

The workplace may just be one of the best places to find love❤️