NAS Women: Education and the need for achievement are your gateways to success
Women’s Month: Focus on Ms Lunga Ngcongo

Q: Job title and in which department/research entity do you work?
A: Departmental Administrator in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology.

Q: What has been the highlight of your career?
A: Covid has challenged our world as we know it and has wreaked havoc, leaving behind a trail of darkness. Watching the university community strive to achieve the university’s goals and our lecturers working extremely hard has left me in awe. Witnessing our students soldiering on regardless of the challenges has been amazing. My short-term goal is to maintain my presence, contact our students, and give them all the assistance they need. Messages of gratitude from parents and students keep me humble.

Q: What inspires you?
A: Working as a student administrator is a colourful job. One gets to work closely with the youth, and I realise that I draw my inspiration from the students. Their youthfulness and innocent smiles are what inspires me to go to work every day. Without the students on campus, my days are gloomy.

Q: What challenges have you experienced in your career?
A: Working as an administrator requires one to have good interpersonal relationships with colleagues. I have been lucky enough to have wonderful colleagues who are always willing to assist. My biggest goal is to keep the smiles on the students’ faces through a pleasant and welcoming front office. There is nothing more disheartening than working with unpleasant people. I can say the challenges that I have experienced have been entirely related to technical systems other than people.

Q: What message do you have for the youth of South Africa?
A: Education and the need for achievement are your gateways to success. South Africa’s youth needs to invest their time and effort in skills training. Obtaining a qualification is excellent, however gaining the skills is even better. Challenge yourself, dream bigger, use your leadership skills and take full responsibility for your life.