It was a dream come true for a Community Development Practitioner at Msunduzi Municipality, Nontethelelo Ndawo who finally obtained her Diploma in Public Administration specialising in Public Management at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) 2024 Autumn Graduation ceremony, which was held at Indumiso campus, Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 14 May 2024.
Ndawo (42) from Imbali in Pietermaritzburg was the eldest in her class, with her classmates being the same age as her older daughter. At first she was sceptical as to whether she was going to be able to adjust and adapt to studying with people young enough to be her kids.
“I am grateful to my lecturers and my classmates who were so welcoming, it made me feel at ease. I would even forget that I was not their age. They called me mama of the class and it didn’t bother me because I was old enough to be their mother. They treated me with love and respect, not even once did I feel out of place. At first my lecturers felt sorry for me, they were worried that I would not be able to relate with the young students. It took me to forget who I was at work, at church where I serve as an ordained prophet and be in the same level as my younger peers,” shared Ndawo.
She said that even at the graduation, it was evident that she was the elder of the class as her peers looked much younger. Her initial encounter with DUT dates back to 2020 when she enrolled for a Diploma in Public Management. Her desire was to equip herself with knowledge to manage public affairs for efficient and effective service delivery.
“I am grateful to the late Mrs Phoswa and Dr Mthunzi Khonjelwayo from DUT whom assisted me to enrol at DUT. Prior to DUT, I had obtained a qualification in Public Relations at Msunduzi College. I tried for years to get credited as I already had a qualification. However, it was not possible. I needed to start from scratch. At this stage my older daughter was already doing her honours degree. I am married to an academic who has strings of qualifications including a Master’s degree in Business Management. This also motivated me to further my studies and there is no stopping me. I am currently enrolled for the Advanced Diploma in Public Administration at DUT,” said Ndawo.
She plans to work her way up in the field of Public Management. Academically, she would love to see herself graduating with a PhD in her field and be impactful to the communities she serves. Ndawo believes her nature, spiritual and professional assignments demand her to be well versed within the public domain. Her greatest fulfilment is to see change or transformation to the public.
“To me ‘public’ starts with an individual. I sincerely believe that if one wishes to change the world, one needs to start with human development. Therefore, this is not a mistake that God has driven me to pursue this career route,” added Ndawo.
According to Ndawo balancing work, studies, church, and household responsibilities require time management, discipline, and prioritisation.
“Honestly, I am not perfect, but I allow God in me (Holy Spirit) to take charge and lead me. It has become a personal routine; morning prayer paves the way and direct my path for the entire day. Secondly, I have a weekly diary which I follow as I set time for work, studies, household and church activities. Thirdly, I have taught myself to be assertive. Fourthly, setting boundaries and seeking support have greatly helped me to balance up,” shared Ndawo.
Ndawo hopes her story will inspire others that ‘one is not too old to go back and study’.
Pictured: Nontethelelo Ndawo at her graduation.
Simangele Zuma
