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 Communications team member, Thubelihle Dumakude recently engaged in a conversation with Nomvelo Mkhwanazi, Marketing and Communications Intern: Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, to delve deeper into the Living Values Framework and ENVISION2030.

Q: Kindly tell me about your role at DUT? 

A: “I believe I play a vital role at DUT. I am working as a Marketing and Communications intern for the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. I work closely with the Marketing Officer, ensuring that we come up with the best marketing strategies and making sure that our digital platforms are up to date.”

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

A: “I have been a member of this institute since 2017, when I was still a student, so it’s been six years. The first time I set my foot to this prestigious institution was when I came to enrol for my Diploma in Journalism and now I am an intern at DUT.”

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

A: “I associate myself with accountability and transparency. I have always accounted for my actions and I believe that everyone needs to be accountable at all times. With transparency, I had learnt this when I was studying journalism. I had learnt that as a journalist you should always be transparent, be truthful to yourself, I have always been mindful of that.”

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

A: “I think this basically means that as the institution we produce quite impactful people to the society. Recently, I was chatting with my colleagues and they had mentioned how DUT provides magnificent practical education to the students which made them fit for the professional working environment.”

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

A: “I reflect on the ENVISION2030 strategy regularly and I think a lot of progress has been made.”

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

A: “People do not know that I can sing and at some point I wanted to pursue a career in music.”

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

A: “I believe it will strengthen the DUT brand and shape everyone within the institution to live by the mentioned values.”

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

A: “I enjoy having some quality time for myself. Most of the time you would find me listening to music, or sometimes inviting a friend and catching up socially.”

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

A: “I want to be good at what I do. I want to have a positive impact and bring change that will contribute to the growth of the institution. I will apply what I had learnt throughout these years and work to the best of my ability.”

Q: What is your daily motivation? 

A: “My daily motivation is my family. I wake up every day and think of my mom. I think of how I want to make her happy. I think of all the things I want to do for her as a token of appreciation for her raising me as a single parent and putting me through university and ensuring that I obtain tertiary education.”

Q: What are your future goals at DUT? 

A: “I would like to be offered permanent employment at DUT. I feel like DUT has become a home away from home. The love I have for this institution is in abundance. I do not think I will be comfortable working anywhere outside of this institution.”

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

A: “I wish to obtain permanent employment in the near future.”