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The long road to graduation: Proving delays don't define destiny

04 April 2025 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Supplied

Ennie Mkotywa walked across the stage in the iconic Mandela Hall this morning, Friday 4 April, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Honours) specialising in English. This is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the transformative potential of education. Working as an assistant officer in the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Ennie's story is one of balancing professional responsibilities with academic aspirations – a journey that has culminated in a remarkable achievement.

Passion ignited

Mkotywa’s love for literature began in high school, blossoming during her undergraduate studies where she excelled in literary analysis. "I've always been passionate about reading books and poetry," she recalls. "During my undergraduate studies, I discovered that I was good at analysing literature, which led me to become a tutor." However, financial constraints initially delayed her pursuit of an honours. It was her appointment at CTL that reignited her dream, as she discovered the study benefits available to staff.

Balancing act and triumph

The journey was far from easy. "The most challenging part was balancing work, studies, and personal life," Ennie admits. "Juggling work deadlines with academic responsibilities was incredibly difficult." Working in a student-facing role, finding time for study was a constant challenge, requiring her to dedicate evenings to her coursework. Yet, the rewards were profound. "The most rewarding aspect was submitting my research and passing. Receiving my results was one of the happiest moments of my life."

Inspiration and mentorship

Ennie credits Dr Nonki Motahane from the Department of English as a significant source of inspiration. "Dr Motahane's journey resonates deeply with me," she says. "Witnessing her growth from a master's candidate to a PhD holder has been incredibly motivating." This mentorship fuelled Ennie's own academic aspirations, demonstrating the power of role models within the UFS Qwaqwa community.

Decolonial analysis and insight

For her honours research, Ennie focused on a decolonial literary analysis of Yewande Omotoso's Bom Boy (2011). Her dissertation, ‘Images of a Democratic South Africa: A Decolonial Analysis of Yewande Omotoso’s Bom Boy (2011)’, explored the contradictions within South Africa's post-apartheid ‘rainbow nation’ agenda. "My research portrays the enduring racial and socioeconomic inequalities in post-apartheid South Africa," Ennie explains. Her analysis highlighted the persistent colonial structures and the failure to achieve true equality and inclusivity.

Transformative impact and future aspirations

Ennie's studies have had a profound impact on her perspective, particularly regarding the #FeesMustFall movement. "Researching for my honours allowed me to understand the movement’s significance and the concept of decoloniality," she shares. Her enhanced English skills will benefit her work at the Write Site, supporting students with academic writing, and align with Vision 130's goal of increasing research output.

Looking ahead, Ennie plans to pursue a master’s degree and a PhD, aiming to deepen her expertise and expand her career opportunities.

A message of lifelong learning

Ennie's advice to fellow UFS Qwaqwa Campus staff is to embrace lifelong learning. "Pursuing further education is a powerful way to enhance your professional and personal growth," she says. "Take advantage of the resources and support systems available at the UFS, and don’t be afraid to reach out for help."

Community and support

Ennie emphasises the strong sense of community on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. "The Department of English, my supervisor Dr Peter Moopi, and my colleagues were incredibly supportive," she notes. "The library services and the shared experiences with fellow students were invaluable." She also recounts a story of a librarian remembering her when she was waiting for a book from Bloemfontein, and how that personal touch meant a lot.

Resilience and triumph

Even when faced with challenges, such as a difficult lecturer, she persevered. "Looking back, I realise that such experiences are the ones that build resilience," she reflects.

Mkotywa’s graduation is not just a personal achievement; it is a testament to the supportive environment on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus and the transformative power of education. Her story serves as an inspiration to the entire university community, proving that with dedication and support, any goal is achievable.

As a parting shot: "Remember that the process may sometimes be difficult, but the results are transformative. Stay focused on your goals and trust in the value of the journey, because the experience of learning is just as important as the final achievement." – Ennie Mkotywa.

News Archive

Census 2011 overshadowed by vuvuzela announcements

2012-11-20

Mike Schüssler, economist
Photo: Hannes Pieterse
15 November 2012

Complete Lecture (MP3)

Census 2011 contains good statistics but these are overshadowed by vuvuzela announcements and a selective approach, economist Mike Schüssler said at a presentation at the UFS.

“Why highlight one inequality and not another success factor? Is Government that negative about itself?” Mr Schüssler, owner of Economist.co.za, asked.

“Why is all the good news such as home ownership, water, lights, cars, cellphones, etc. put on the back burner? For example, we have more rooms than people in our primary residence. Data shows that a third of Africans have a second home. Why are some statistics that are racially based not made available, e.g. orphans? So are “bad” statistics not always presented?”

He highlighted statistics that did not get the necessary attention in the media. One such statistic is that black South Africans earn 46% of all income compared to 39% of whites. The census also showed that black South Africans fully own nearly ten times the amount of houses that whites do. Another statistic is that black South Africans are the only population group to have a younger median age. “This is against worldwide trends and in all likelihood has to do with AIDS. It is killing black South Africans more than other race groups.”

Mr Schüssler also gave insight into education. He said education does count when earnings are taken into account. “I could easily say that the average degree earns nearly five times more than a matric and the average matric earns twice the pay of a grade 11.”

He also mentioned that people lie in surveys. On the expenditure side he said, “People apparently do not admit that they gamble or drink or smoke when asked. They also do not eat out but when looking at industry and sector sales, this is exposed and the CPI is, for example, reweighted. They forget their food expenditure and brag about their cars. They seemingly spend massively on houses but little on maintenance. They spend more than they earn.”

“On income, the lie is that people forget or do not know the difference between gross and net salaries. People forget garnishee orders, loan repayments and certainly do not have an idea what companies pay on their behalf to pensions and medical aid. People want to keep getting social grants so they are more motivated to forget income. People are scared of taxes too so they lower income when asked. They spend more than they earn in many categories.”

On household assets Mr Schüssler said South Africans are asset rich but income poor. Over 8,3 million black African families stay in brick or concrete houses out of a total of 11,2 million total. About 4,9 million black families own their own home fully while only 502 000 whites do (fully paid off or nearly ten times more black families own their own homes fully). Just over 880 000 black South Africans are paying off their homes while 518 000 white families are.

Other interesting statistics are that 13,2 million people work, 22,5 million have bank accounts, 19,6 million have credit records. Thirty percent of households have cars, 90% of households have cellphones and 80% of households have TVs.

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