Page 15 - DUT Excellence

MAGUBANE’S BOOK EXPLORES LOVEIN THE ERA OF
Mngadi said: “My journey at DUT was a success and a blessing. I learnt a lot from DUT, especially being a Language Practice student. My highlight was attending the Friday Poetry sessions at Steve Biko campus. I used that platform to sharpen my poetry and writing skills. One of my achievements was being chosen to be a language tutor to teach students IsiZulu.”
DUT is also where she wrote her rst children’s book titled: uMimi noZuzu Esikoleni, which was published in 2015. In 2020, she also released a poetry anthology book.
Being laughed at and called names for not knowing her home language IsiZulu while she was a little girl led her to learn it and wish to excel in it. She said she was born in Ballito and began her primary school years in English schools until her family was forced to move back to their village at Ndwedwe.
“My relatives from Ndwedwe used to call me ‘cows’ because I would return home empty-handed if I came across cows on my way to the shop. I would run back home and tell them I was afraid of cows.They also played a huge role in teaching me IsiZulu. Another motivation
was that at school I repeated a grade after failing IsiZulu. That is when I told myself that I needed to learn IsiZulu to move to the next grade. I was focused growing up and I loved writing my own quotes, which later developed into poetry, when I was in high school at Sacred Heart,” said Mngadi.
In 2009, she won a literacy competition that was run by Ukhozi FM and was selected to represent KwaZulu-Natal at the International Children’s Day event held at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg.This is where she realised that writing was her talent.
Through the Gloria Thandekile Mngadi Foundation, she is also providing sanitary aids to her neighbouring communities during this dif cult time of COVID-19. In both her company and foundation, Mngadi said that her main challenge is obtaining funding. She wishes to have a studio.
Those wishing to access her language services can reach her on: gloriandonenhle@gmail.com.
Simangele Zuma
...I repeated a grade after failing IsiZulu. That is when I told myself that I needed to learn IsiZulu to move to the next grade. I was focused growing up and I loved writing my own quotes, which later developed into poetry, when I was in high school at Sacred Heart. – Gloria Thandekile Mngadi
13 DUT EXCELLENCE 2021 // SEMESTER 1