The Durban University of Technology (DUT) is thrilled to celebrate the achievements of students, Siphesihle Hlophe and Enzokuhle Sabela, who have been honoured in the prestigious Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans for 2024. This recognition, which was recently announced at a gala dinner in Johannesburg, highlights their significant contributions to society and positions them among the country’s promising future young leaders.
Hlophe (32) from KwaDambuza in Pietermaritzburg, is a Doctor of Nursing student at DUT. He was recognised under the Health and Wellness category. Hlope has experience in both the public and private sector in nursing and currently holds a position of nurse educator in Saudi Arabia, where his primary responsibility is educating the nurses. He has had several articles on the impact of HIV/AIDS on youth and developing self-management guidelines published in accredited journals both in South Africa and internationally. His current concern is on the lack of training on handling Gender-Based Violence (GBV) for nurses and in the healthcare system generally. His PhD thesis is focusing on curriculum transformation and Gender-Based Violence, advocating for a comprehensive inclusion of Gender-Based Violence in the nursing curriculum.
Hlophe referred to this accolade as a significant achievement and a great honour. “It was a remarkable accomplishment and I was very proud of myself. The Mail and Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans list recognised young South Africans who were making a positive impact in various fields, including health and wellness, science, art, politics and more. Being included on this list was a testament to my hard work, dedication and potential to make a difference in society. It validated my efforts and motivated me to continue making a positive difference,” he shared.
The second student, Enzokuhle Sabela (21), hails from Westville in Durban and is currently a third-year Bachelor of Journalism student at DUT. Recognised under the Editor’s Choice category, this accolade highlighted the editors’ appreciation of his outstanding work and significant career contributions. Sabela is an aspiring journalist who also serves as a programme facilitator and head of social media and marketing at Tomorrow’s Leaders in Training (TLT South Africa), an organisation dedicated to guiding young people through critical life stages. Additionally, he has authored three opinion pieces for the Mail and Guardian and hosts a politics podcast, The South African Conversation by DUT Journalism, which focuses on youth engagement in politics.
Commenting on being listed in the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans for 2024, Sabela said: “It means everything to me, even in my wildest dreams, I would never have imagined being an award-winning journalist before finishing my degree. It was an unbelievable honour to win this award.”
Sabela’s desire is to make a lasting impact in the journalism sphere and be regarded as a powerhouse in the industry. He plans to live by his name ‘Enzokuhle’ (do good) and do good to elevate his family name.
Congratulating Sabela, Mrs Deseni Soobben, Programme Coordinator in the DUT Journalism Department said: “We are extremely proud of Enzokuhle Sabela for his most recent accolade, as one of the Mail and Guardian’s top 200 Young South Africans in 2024. Sabela has shown commitment throughout his studies in the Bachelor of Journalism Degree. His enthusiasm and passion for journalism is inspiring to students. We wish him all the success in his studies and career and may he continue to fly the DUT Journalism flag high.”
Pictured: Doctor of Nursing student, Siphesihle Hlophe and third-year Bachelor of Journalism student, Enzokuhle Sabela who were listed amongst the esteemed Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans for 2024.
Simangele Zuma/Waheeda Peters/Minenhle Zikhali
