Durban University of Technology (DUT) students and entrepreneurs, Zime Nxumalo, Ntobeko Mafu and Zakhe Khuzwayo, were named amongst the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans for 2023. This prestigious event, which recognises and rewards youth who have created resilient, entrepreneurial and robust solutions was recently held in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Nxumalo (20), a third-year DUT Information and Communication Technology (ICT) student was listed amongst the game changers under the Technology and Innovation category. She is a dynamic young lady from Inanda, Durban and is the founder and CEO of Zime Wezwe Creatives. It is a software development company that specialises in quality website and application development which is also, currently developing a prototype for the real estate industry using blockchain technology.
In 2022, Nxumalo became a DUT Huawei Student Ambassador and was the recipient of the DUT innobiz 2022 Most Improved Business of the Year Award. Last year she also delivered a presentation on “Industry Disruption using Blockchain Technology” to final year MBA students at the Northpark University of Chicago in the United States of America (USA). While in the USA, Nxumalo further participated in the 2022 Fall Global Masters School Programme in which she represented Africa and DUT at the University of Missouri, St Louis. Today (27 June 2023), Nxumalo will be part of the four DUT students who will be jetting off to Copenhagen, Denmark to attend the 2023 Next Generation City Action Conference from 27 June 2023 to 07 July 2023.
Sharing her excitement on being listed among the Top 200 Young South Africans, Nxumalo began by acknowledging her mentor, Professor Keolebogile Motaung, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT for nominating her for this esteemed programme.
“This recognition has bolstered my confidence in the path I am pursuing, serving as a timely affirmation of my endeavours. Balancing the demanding responsibilities of entrepreneurship, academics, and various other projects can seem insurmountable, yet persistently striving and firmly believing in my dream, I have risked it all and made sacrifices. Having such efforts acknowledged at a national and international level, particularly at the age of 20, feels nothing short of a realisation of my aspirations,” said Nxumalo.
All the way from Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, Mafu (22) who recently graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Management Sciences: Human Resources Management, was amongst the youngsters who dominated the Business category. She is an author and founder of a poultry business called “Madame Clucks Alot.” She owns a sustainable and broiler and crop farm that sells free range broiler chicken, grows and sells organically produced leafy greens, and also train individuals interested in the agricultural sector.
In 2021, Mafu won second place at the DUT Writing Centre Competition where she received a multimedia tablet device. She used this tablet to write and publish her self-help book titled: Letters To Whoever Needs To Hear This, which can be found on all DUT campus Libraries. She then joined the innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to learn more about starting a business, this is when she established her poultry business. In May 2023, DUT supported her trip to Thailand where she represented South Africa speaking about food insecurity in a global conference with 34 countries present. She recently also won the Best Youth in Business Award at the Ulibo Poetry and Honours Awards.
“There were only two women in this category, and I was one of them. The founders of Drip and Moja chicken were in my category, these are people doing big, amazing things. I can’t believe I was listed alongside them. This accolade will add to my profile and grow my personal and business brand. Madame Clucks Alot will be trusted more, I can use the certificate in funding applications and more, it will place the right eyes on my business,” said Mafu, sharing her excitement on her recent accolade.
Meanwhile Khuzwayo (26), who is currently enrolled for his Postgraduate Diploma in Business Information Management, made his mark under the Civil Society category. Khuzwayo, from Ndwedwe in the Ilembe District of KwaZulu-Natal, is the founder and president of “The Men Carve” which focuses on issues young people, especially men, need to address concerning gender. Currently he is running four programmes under The Men Carve which includes; seminars/workshops, school visits, residence to residence programme and also a Nomfundo Mbatha Campaign that involves a distribution of food parcels to the needy students.
Khuzwayo got a chance to visit China in 2019 after studying Mandarin under the DUT Confucius Institute. He also mentors first year students studying his course. This got him to be part of the Community Engagement Project, he even won a Student of the Year Award at the DUT Community Engagement Showcasing, Pitching and Excellence Awards 2022. Last year, 2022 he also attended Peace Summit in Thailand representing the DUT Faculty of Accounting and Informatics.
“I was overwhelmed to know that so many people acknowledged my work. They are noticing me and the work I do from a distance. Out of 3000 nominations; I am glad I was able to make it to the 200 nominated candidates. This is where I realised the positive impact my work brings to the community. Attending that event gave me a chance to network with people whom we have a similar mindset,” shared Khuzwayo.
Professor Keolebogile Motaung, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT said: “I was truly excited when I heard that Zime Nxumalo, Ntobeko Mafu and Zakhe Khuzwayo were finalists in the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans. It is indeed an honour to the University and an outstanding achievement in their bright, entrepreneurial careers. Their achievement talks to DUT’s ENVISION2030 strategic objectives which highlights that DUT people will be creative, innovative, entrepreneurial and adaptive to the changes of the world.”
Pictured: DUT students, Zime Nxumalo, Zakhe Khuzwayo and Notobeko Mafu who are part of the M&G 200 Young South Africans.
Simangele Zuma
