Durban - A 29-year-old mother of two graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Built Environment in Urban and Regional Planning at the opening of the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Autumn graduation ceremony on Monday.
The event was held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Durban International Convention Centre.
DUT said Londiwe Malimela enrolled at the university after realising that she needed to go back to school in order to support her two children.
“Prior to DUT, I was working in a call centre where young people were so unfairly treated. This made me realise that I needed to go back to school with the hope of making my life better and provide a good life for my kids,” said Malimela.
Malimela said she developed a passion for the field of urban planning after she discovered that she had never heard of a female African town planner. This bothered her as she felt that young African females must be represented in such a dynamic field.
“I don’t believe people are aware of the important role Town Planners play in their everyday lives. From the homes we live in and communities we come from, to the places we work and to how our cities grow and how politics influence where we live, work and play. Town Planners play a major role in all of these things. These are just some of the reasons I enrolled into the Bachelor of the Built Environment in Urban and Regional Planning,” said Malimela.
DUT said for Malimela, getting to walk on the graduation stage was a dream come true.
“The elated Malimela was extremely humbled at receiving the Dean’s Merit award and to be graduating Cum Laude,”said the university, adding that she believes her academic performance is only a small reflection of the passion she has for this field.
Malimela said she is grateful for the support she received from her parents, uncle and friends. She is also grateful for the guidance and support of her lecturers while studying during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Malimela’s goal is to use the skills to develop impoverished communities and encourage others, especially females, to study Urban Planning. She also encouraged them to set their goals high and focus.