Lack of funds and serving in student leadership could not derail Ntethelelo Ngema’s academic journey, as he was determined to overcome his challenges in order to obtain education.

Ngema is currently serving as the Secretary of the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Student Representative Council (SRC) at the Midlands campus. He graduated today, 25 April 2018 with a B-Tech in Public Management at Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg.

“I come from a very humble background because there is no one who is working a proper job from my family. My older brother who was a bread winner was a victim of political killings in Hammersdale,” said Ngema.

Ngema said that he had to drop out from two institutions of higher learning due to financial reasons before he could enroll at DUT. “. Before I came to DUT in 2014 I first went to MUT in 2010 to do Information Technology, which I could not complete because of financial reasons. Hence I dropped out and couldn’t register my second year in year 2011, I then took a gap year. Whilst taking a gap year I did some part-time jobs in the community like construction work. It was not easy at all but I managed to go back to school the following year which was in 2012. I then enrolled at Unisa to do B-Com Finance and Supply Chain. I once again dropped out at Unisa and enrolled at DUT for a National Diploma in Public Management which I completed in record time,” explained Ngema.

Ngema says juggling between his student leadership obligations and academic commitments was never an easy task, “I would like to thank the Public Management Class of 2014/2016 and the B-Tech class of 2017 because they knew that I couldn’t attend classes everyday because one was a foot soldier, addressing student issues on the ground and had to compromise my academics sometimes but they were always understanding and supportive because they knew that what I did was a genuine course to advance student interests,” said Ngema.

Furthermore, he added that graduation to him means that there’s now a need to start something new and become self-sustainable. It also means that he must go back to his community to contribute positively in the development of our people. “Students must be the beacon of hope in their communities and they must bring light through ideas and solutions towards social ills. I foresee myself continuing to grow and leading our people in the mass democratic movement and other influential structures which will change the lives of our people in South Africa and abroad for the better and for total economic emancipation,” added Ngema.

He encouraged young people to be courageous in order to achieve their goals, “Do not be scared to fail because failure results in success and success is the evolution of failure,” said Ngema

He added that his plan is to continue to be academically inclined because without education economic emancipation won’t be realised. “As I am currently enrolled for my 2nd B-Tech, next year I want to pursue my Master’s Degree and after that do my PhD thesis, the sky is the limit,” said Ngema confidently.

Pictured: A jovial Ntethelelo Ngema after his graduation today, 25 April 2018 at Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg.

Nduduzo Ndlovu