Pfano Netshivambe (28) from Rotovhowa village in Thohoyandou, Limpopo graduated Cum Laude and obtained the prestigious Dean’s Merit Award for her Bachelor of Health Sciences in Nursing at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) 2023 Autumn Graduation ceremony which was held at Indumiso Campus Hall, on Tuesday (16 May 2023).
She is relieved that her choice of moving across two provinces to obtain her second qualification at DUT has paid off. Her first qualifications is a Bachelor of Science in Physiology.
“I came to DUT in 2019 to study the Bachelor of Health Science in Nursing. Besides studying for my course and writing exams, my journey at DUT was amazing. I had the opportunity to meet people from different cultural backgrounds . I learnt so much about the Zulu culture about things such as the food, language, cultural dances and attire. My classmates also embraced my Venda culture. I remember one of my classmates would ask me to teach them how to speak Tshivenda and some would ask me to bring them Mopani worms so they could taste or just to look at them,” explained Netshivhambe.
She feels her achievement proves that she is capable of achieving more and that the sky is definitely not the limit. The biggest challenge she faced during her stay at DUT was not being able to see her family as much as she would love to.
“ I used to visit home once or twice a year or never go home the entire year because of clinical practice and home being two provinces away. This used to hit me deep emotionally, to a point where I would have a mental breakdown and not be able to focus on my studies. Through my family’s long phone calls and video calls, love and prayers I managed to pull through,” shared Netshivambe.
She has made her family proud for being the first one on her family to graduate Cum Laude and managing to maintain her discipline even though she was far away from home.
Speaking about her career choice, Netshivambe pointed out that nursing is her choice of study because being a nurse is rewarding emotionally.
“As a nurse, I have an opportunity to help people in their most vulnerable and unexpected moments. Besides helping or nursing patients’, nurses are problem solvers as well. I am able to venture into research where I could invest myself into finding solutions to problems faced by patients or nurses within the health system of South Africa. Doing research is something I love doing as well,” reiterated Netshivambe.
Her plan is to further her studies and become an Intensive Care Unit nurse where she can provide a holistic care to critical patients. Netshivambe feels this will link with her first qualification (Bachelor of Science in Physiology) as patients get to be treated according to body systems.
“ Nursing is not easy but to overcome all the challenges that comes with it, one needs to have the love for nursing and the zeal to be equipped with knowledge that is going to save people’s lives,” said Netshivambe.
She thanked God for pulling her through, her family and friends for their love, support and encouragement. She dedicated her achievement to her family as she feels iif it was not for them, she would not have succeeded.
Pictured: Pfano Netshivambe
Photographer: Khulasande Tshayile
Simangele Zuma
