Lindelwa Nombulelo Malwane, an Operations and Quality Management student wishes to be an independent woman who can provide for her daughter and accomplish her goals. She graduated Cum Laude for her Diploma in Management Sciences specialising in Operations during the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Autumn Graduation ceremony at the Olive Convention Centre (OCC) on Saturday, 25 May.
Malwane, who hails from the rural lands of Ndumo near Jozini, northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) said she was proud of her achievements and was mainly motivated by her five-year-old daughter, Zoey who makes her a better person.
“I am overwhelmed with excitement for achieving such a noteworthy accomplishment. Graduating Cum Laude was a significant achievement that reflected dedication, hard work, and academic excellence,” said Malwane.
She acknowledged that this achievement demonstrated a high level of commitment she had to her studies and will also open doors to various opportunities for her and serve as a source of pride and accomplishment that deserves recognition and celebration.
She said achieving this honour was not easy and there were many sleepless and stressful days and nights spent putting in the hard work to make herself, her family, and her lecturers proud.
“As students, we face a myriad of challenges during our academic journey, ranging from academic pressures to personal and financial struggles. One of the primary challenges I faced was with my academic consistency, navigating demanding coursework, exams, and assignments while striving to maintain high grades is not an easy task,” she said
She added that another challenge was adapting to the transition from high school to university which was daunting, especially with the newfound independence, responsibilities, homesickness, adjusting to a new environment, and building a new social support network. However, she said, these unique challenges created a resilient and adaptable character in her over time.
Speaking on the choice to pursue her studies in operations, Malwane said she was drawn to the idea of ensuring excellence and continuous improvement in all aspects of operations, whether in a manufacturing setting, service industry, or any other organization.
“It embodied principles and practices that resonated deeply with my values and aspirations and aligned with my passion for problem-solving and attention to detail. I believe that quality management plays a vital role in fostering organisational success and competitiveness in today’s global market. Therefore, by studying quality management, I aimed to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to organisational excellence, innovation, and value,” she said.
Malwane is currently completing her internship at Amesi Group, a food ingredients manufacturer and supplier based in Gauteng where she works as a quality controller.
She aims to see herself as a well-educated quality auditor who has acquired knowledge in both the academic and professional sectors.
“My aspiration is to excel in the field of quality management, leveraging the expertise gained through hard academic study and hands-on experience in real-world settings. I also hope to pursue my studies further with Advanced Diploma in Quality Management and I would enrol at DUT again considering all the great experiences and people I have encountered in the institution,” she said.
Pictured: Lindelwa Malwane at graduation.
Photographer: Mnqobi Ngobese.
Thulasizwe Nkomo
