IT’S IN THE AIR
I scribe these words the day after Cupid left town. Whilst at a meeting with a colleague out in town, it was so cute seeing couples walking by, bright flora in hand, smiling faces with moments of whispering into an ear. Hei, kas’kaba jelas hle bathong!!! I hope you brought a smile on the face of another and left a lasting memory.
Umuzi kicked-off February with its 1st ever UWeek. This brought all team members from across the country and the continent under 1 roof, the 1st time since March 2020 that we’ve come together in person in this way. It was a time to connect as a team, align on goals for the year as well as continue to explore ways to build the ever growing community that is Umuzi. We were joined by a few Alumni on the final day and their presence made the Friday spectacle memorable. We aim through the insights and input of the Alumni Council, that more such moments will be made possible for and by the Alumni community.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THE COUNCIL
Thank you to each one of you who responded to the call to nominate Alumni Council members. A diverse group of alumni were nominated, they have been shortlisted, and we are awaiting them to accept the nomination (akere we want them to say “thuma mina!”). We should therefore make an announcement in March of who they are, and begin to connect even more with you, the community members.
I have a feeling that 2023 will see us engage with you in more ways than just through this platform. Ho na le “that thing” in the air, and I can feel it!
REFLECTIONS BRIGHTEN TOMORROW
It’s when we flip time, reflect and see the milestones which we’ve overcome that our future at times becomes much clearer.
Don’t get me wrong, the past isn’t always rosey, neither are the reflections, however what fuels the future is the learnings from the past which we can choose to take into the present and definitely into the ‘morrow.
“Pens Down” rolls smoothly from the lips of young people who celebrate entering a new phase in their lives. It's such a beautiful picture. The scholarly life is over, and now one is entering adulting! What happens in the case where this adulting and work environment isn’t as conducive as one had been led to believe, where the only choice is to close one’s laptop and want nothing to do with the passion any more?
“ “For 6 months I didn’t want to touch a computer” ”
This was where Zweli Mthethwa (Software Developer - Cohort 17) found himself in early 2019, fresh from varsity where he’d achieved so much and had impressed an employer who was quick to nab him for his skills.
WHERE DID THE LOVE START
In 2017, Zweli and his team were runners-up in the Standard Bank Technology Impact Challenge whilst studying at Rhodes University. This sparked even more curiosity within the development space, and 2 years later he landed a gig at an international consulting firm as a Software Developer where he found his mojo. Through a series of unfortunate events, it was at this point where Zweli found himself needing to take an unscheduled break, retreat for a period of time, which perhaps was one of the best decisions he made. It was during this hiatus that Umuzi came into his pathway and thus Zweli made the great trek from Mtubatuba in KwaZulu to Jeppestown in Gauteng.
Upon completion of his learnership in the height of the Lockdown, Zweli plowed his Dev trade at Striata for a period of 2 years and recently started a new role as a Software Dev at Mezzanine which is based in South Africa’s own “Silicon Valley”, Stellenbosch.
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Whilst many sought various opportunities during the early national Lockdown days, Zweli offered coding tutoring to young and old, exposing many people to this exciting and growing career pathway. He was proud to inform me that one of his earlier students is now ploughing their trade in Europe, racking in those Euros!!!
What remains true is Zweli is passionate about his work, the field and continuous upskilling. The role which hackathons have played in his journey is one to reflect on someday in the near future as I believe many have honed their skills through this medium.
One of Zweli’s goals is to return to Rhodes and complete his studies…
That’s a story for another day.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
We love to see how you do, family. The last few months have brought the following successes to the fore - of which we are CERTAIN there are many, many more. Keep shining, and keep sharing the news.
We love to see how you do.
STAY CONNECTED
We love hearing from you, whether it’s sharing your successes, asking questions or offering thoughts on how we can continue to be better in this space.
Have some thoughts that need to be heard?
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