As of 18 July 2022, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) staff and students have physically returned to campus after the relaxation of the public health mandates and the COVID-19 restrictions. To get insight on getting back to the ‘new’ normal, DUT’s Communications team Zanele Mashaba spoke to Dr Celani Nyide.

Q: Kindly tell me about your role and the duration you have been at DUT?

A: “I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Finance and Information Management -Midlands. I have joined the DUT family on 1 April 2012. For the past 10 years I have assumed various roles within the University including being a Postgraduate Programme Coordinator and Head of Department. I’m currently finalising the development of a new qualification, a Bachelor of Accounting in Public Sector Accounting degree.”

Q: How has it been like to physically return to campus after the relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions?

A: “I have been looking forward to a post-pandemic return to ‘normality’. Physical interactions with students and colleagues are priceless. These few weeks back on campus have taught me that one would not trade physical or ‘face-to-face’ interaction for anything in the world.”

Q: What are some of your coping mechanisms, helping you adapt to working/studying on site?

A: “I had already conditioned my mind for a return to normality. It was very easy for me to adjust to the current working arrangement.”

Q: What do you miss the most about working/studying online?

A: “The programmes that I’m involved in are offered across two sites, Midlands and Durban. The virtual workspace afforded us the opportunity to make team-teaching a reality and this fostered a greater sense of community. Through this arrangement there were no Durban or Midlands students. Instead there were DUT students.”

Q: What is one thing that people do not know about you?

A: “Some of my colleagues and students do not know that I am a pastor. I lead a church in Port Shepstone. I also have a Facebook page where I write daily motivational quotes. The page has over 61,000 followers.”

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?

A: “I spend a lot of my spare time learning graphic design.”

Q: How do you plan to impact lives at DUT and surrounding?

A: “My purpose in life is to positively transform people’s lives by unleashing their potential and contributing in making them realise their dreams.”

Q: What is your daily motivation?

A: “My daily routine involves setting daily targets. Reminding myself why it is important to achieve my targets keeps me motivated. Then, of course, my favourite quote ‘never allow reality to get in the way of your dreams’ always keeps me going.”

Q: What are your future goals with DUT?

A: “I would like to be part of the team that drives and achieves the ENVISION2030 agenda.”

Q: If you were granted one wish, what would it be?

A: “Myles Munroe once said ‘People generally fall into one of three groups: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the overwhelming majority who have no notion of what happens.’ I wish that people would stop waiting for things to happen and step out of their comfort zones so that they make things happen.”