Durban University of Technology (DUT) officially launched the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework, comprising five core values: transparency, honesty, integrity, respect and accountability. These values are underpinned by the principles of fairness, professionalism, commitment, compassion and excellence. DUT Publications Officer Waheeda Peters, recently engaged in a conversation with Samukelisiwe Fortunate Nhlabathi, an administrator in the Institute of Systems Science, to delve deeper into the Living Values Framework and ENVISION2030.

Q: Kindly tell me about your role at DUT?

A: “I work for the Institute of Systems Science at DUT, as an administrator. I help with the daily operations of projects run by the department and offer administrative support, in order to make sure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.”

Q: How long have you been a member of the DUT family? 

A: “I have been permanently working at DUT for eight years.”

Q: Amongst the mentioned ENVISION2030 Living Values and Principles, which one do you mostly associate with and why? 

A:  “I associate myself with all the ENVISION2030 Living Values and Principles because I apply them in my life daily. However, respect is one value that I associate more with, simply because in our department we work with professionals from all corners of the world, with different cultures, religions, and beliefs.  I also grew up in a diverse community.”

Q: What are your views on the new DUT tagline: Creative, Distinctive, Impactful?

A:  “I believe that the tagline is encouraging everyone with the DUT community to be Creative, Distinctive, and Impactful in their day-to-day dealings.”

Q: How are you planning to keep abreast with the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework? 

A: “I can keep abreast with the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework by staying aligned with them which consists of attending Living Values workshops consistently, leading by example and also understanding my role within our department.”

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

A: “I can speak nine languages, seven of which are South African official languages.”

Q: In your opinion, how will the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework benefit DUT?

A: “By providing guidance to the DUT community at large. Implementing the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework will help align the university with the up-to-date universal landscape, therefore ensuring our competitive superiority worldwide.”

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

A: “I enjoy playing board games, crosswords puzzles, running in the mornings or evening beach strolls.”

Q: How do you plan to make a positive impact at DUT? 

A:  “By embracing, embodying, and aligning my actions with the core values of ENVISION2030, through knowledge sharing, engaging actively in workshops and offering support to my colleagues.”

Q: What is your daily motivation? 

A: “We lose the battles as often as we succeed, but the key, though, lose or win, is to never fail. And the only way to fail is not to fight.”

Q: What are your future goals at DUT?

A: “To further my studies and I would love to get myself more involved in community engagement work.”

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

A: “To live in a peaceful and safe world that is being governed by kind people.”