Hands-Full Student Leader Handles Commitments… and Graduates!

Being in two UKZN student leadership positions while studying flat out tested Mr Tsepo Tsotetsi to the hilt but he hung in there and graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Senior and Further Education and Training Phase Teaching, majoring in Mathematics and Technology.

As the Secretary General for the Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Community of Practice (COP), Tsotetsi said finding a balance had been tough. ‘I didn’t think I would make it to this year’s graduation but through patience, time management and knowing what I wanted, I was able to complete my studies.’

Currently pursuing his honours, he hopes to continue into Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Management studies.

Passionate about promoting entrepreneurship within the University, with his motto of ‘making entrepreneurship big at UKZN,’ Tsotetsi who lead UKZN to victory in the Existing Business category at the EDHE’s last year, said he was looking forward to defending the title in 2025, and walking away with more awards.

His mentor, Mr Khutšo Ramontja, Acting Director of the Intellectual Property and Commercialisation unit at UKZN, was full of admiration for the young leader. ‘Very few universities, if any, matched UKZN in terms of the number of students who participated in entrepreneurship activities last year and Tsepo played a huge role in that regard,’ Ramontja said.

‘Tsepo is an excellent ambassador and champion of student entrepreneurship at UKZN,’ said Ramontja. ‘He plays a sterling role in promoting our entrepreneurship development programmes across all campuses and his commitment to advancing student entrepreneurship at UKZN is laudable. However, Tsepo’s real strength lies in his people skills,’ he added.

Known as “Majuba”, Tsotetsi’s mother, Ms Sibongile Tsotetsi, says he earned his nickname because of his overzealous nature, similar to that of a pigeon! A proud mother, she congratulated him, and said she looked forward to what else he could achieve.

Hailing from Newcastle, northwest of KwaZulu-Natal, in a township called Blaauwbosch, Tsotetsi encouraged other upcoming student leaders to practice patience and work hard ‘because everything always works out in due time.’

Words: Hlengiwe Khwela

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini