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Kgalalelo Motlhabane: Master of her own destiny

09 October 2020 Photo Supplied

One of the success stories of this year’s virtual graduation is Kgalalelo Motlhabane, a graduate and funding officer at the Postgraduate School, University of the Free State (UFS), who was presented with an award from the National Research Foundation as the best designated authority for 2019.

Motlhabane, who lost her mother when she was in high school, didn’t just have to overcome poverty on her way to her first qualification, but also the fear of ending up on the street. On Friday 9 October she received a Master of Commerce degree with specialisation in Industrial Psychology.

A lot of challenges

“I had a lot of challenges during my first-year undergraduate studies. I could not afford textbooks and stationery. I spent most of my time in the library studying. More often I would be without food and proper clothes to wear.

“I would get warnings from my landlord when the rent was late. Sometimes I would find my room locked and my personal stuff removed. Not being able to pay outstanding fees restricted me from receiving my final results at the end of semesters and exacerbated the situation,” says Motlhabane.

Regardless of all these challenges, she was determined to not give up and return home to the impoverished community of Itireleng village near Pampierstad in the Northern Cape.

Overcoming the challenges

It was actually the distress, poverty and the difficult situation at home, together with her daily struggles that kept her focused. Through hard work, she managed to receive funding from NSFAS for her second and third years and despite the hardships, she obtained her BSocSci degree with distinction at the end of 2012.

“I was then selected to enroll for an Honours degree in Industrial Psychology in 2013. Without any funding prospects for my studies, I wrote to the former university rector Prof Jonathan Jansen, seeking financial assistance.

“Prof Jansen was very impressed with my exceptional academic performance and offered to pay my fees. He also offered me a position to work as a student assistant. I worked for three hours every day before going to the library to do my assignments and prepare for classes, presentations, tests and exams. I completed my Honours degree in 2013.”

In 2014, Motlhabane was employed as an intern at the UFS Human Resources Department and also enrolled for a postgraduate diploma in gender studies, which she obtained at the end of that year. The following year she joined the postgraduate school and started with her Master’s degree in late 2016.

Obtaining a Master’s degree

This was no easy task as she was employed full time which left her with little time to work thoroughly on her thesis, her limited knowledge about research, work pressures and demands, rejections, lack of support, discouragements, accidents and the inability to cope also played a role.

“I would like to thank God for the strength he gave me to cope throughout my journey, my family for their prayers and continued support, as well as Prof Jonathan Jansen, Prof Petrus Nel and Prof Ebben van Zyl for their kind support and contribution towards my studies. Indeed, the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” says Motlhabane.

News Archive

Reverend Frank Chikane honours ‘Oom Bey’ at second Beyers Naudé Memorial Lecture for 2012

2012-09-11

Rev. Frank Chikane and Dr Choice Makhetha, Vice-Rector: External Relations at the UFS.
Photo: Stephen Collett
10 September 2012

The 9th Beyers Naude Memorial Lecture, a partnership initiative between the University of the Free State (UFS) and Kagiso Trust, was held on the South Campus of the university last week. The theme of the lecture focused on Collaborative partnership for social cohesion: Building of a nation with ethics.

Guest speaker, Reverend Frank Chikane, is a member of the UDF, ANC, Director-General in the Office of the President and a board member of Kagiso Trust.

In his speech, Rev. Chikane focused on the first 45 years in the life of Beyers Naudé, sketching a picture of a man who lived for what he believes in. When this former minister of the South African Dutch Reformed Church and member of the Broederbond, decided to question the morality of the Apartheid government after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, he made some changes in his beliefs and started to play a big role in the struggle against apartheid.

“If one know about ‘Oom Bey’s’ earlier life, you will see how radical his contribution was in turning South Africa from a country on the brink of destruction to a country of peace. ‘Oom Bey’ must be seen as a role model, someone we can aspire to be in South Africa today,” Rev. Chikane said.

“From his legacy one sees elements of someone building a nation with ethics.

“He took sides with the poor against an unjust system. Power breaks cohesion. It makes people not to think,” Rev. Chikane said.

If Afrikaners and black people stood together after the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), we would have talked a different language today. However, they did not. Afrikaners stood together, excluding black people and cohesion between all races was destructed. ‘Oom Bey’ tried to build relationships between people from all races in South Africa in an effort to create peace amongst all people. He was alienated from the Broederbond and defrockedrom the church.

In his speech, Rev. Chikane also said that South Africa did not succeed in collaborative partnerships in terms of the economy. “We need collaborative action to change our economy. This specific failure can destroy all that we have built together.”

“All South Africans can be like ‘Oom Bey” and make a contribution, especially in terms of the economy. To deal with this challenge, we can all contribute. This is important because due to a poor economy, many people are desperate and desperate people can destroy any relationship that we might have built so far.”

At this event, the university and Kagiso Trust also announced the winners of a poetry and essay competition that coincided with this last Beyers Naudé lecture for 2012. The award ceremony looked at the creativity of the learners, how they expressed themselves as well as the novelty of their work. Students as well as learners from schools in the Free State participated in the competition and first, second and third place winners received cash prizes as well as a book from Rev. Frank Chikane for their brilliant work.

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