Q&A: Radio DJ Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile

by | Mar 16, 2018 | Lifestyle

A journalist at one of Johannesburg’s biggest radio stations Jacaranda FM, this former Witsie from Moruleng in the North West is making a name for herself in South African journalism. Phalaetsile graduated with a BA majoring in Political Studies in 2013.

She is also the founder of a group called The Black Wxman Healing Garden which she describes as “a safe space for black women to share their struggles and empower one another.” She is also a columnist for the Daily Vox, known for her bold and honest opinion pieces on social injustice.

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SRC Emergency Fund in deficit

by | Feb 23, 2018 | Featured 2

The Sizofunda Ngenkani Emergency Fund, launched by the Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) and Wits University late last month has already gone into a deficit of nearly R2 million. This is according to SRC president, Orediretse Masebe.

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Q&A with Zongezile Qeba

by | Feb 11, 2018 | Lifestyle

Zongezile Qeba, was born and raised in a fairly small village called Verdwaal in the North West, about 30 minutes from Mafikeng. He is currently completing his final year BSc in Chemical Engineering. Qeba has made it to the top six of the popular educational youth show One Day Leader. The show airs from February 8 at 21:00.

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SLICE OF LIFE: The right path is my path

by | Feb 11, 2018 | Lifestyle

 

The past two weeks have been filled with very early morning and late afternoon commutes where I find myself squashed between two other people, passing rand notes and coins to the passengers seated behind me and in front of me.

Every day during the commute, recurring thoughts run through my mind as I observe the traffic from the window of the taxi. “If only I could afford to buy a car so that I don’t have to sit in a taxi and listen to the driver complain about people paying with R200 notes in the morning,” or even better, “If only I could teleport myself to work and skip the traffic.”

The reality is that I cannot afford a car at the moment and, secondly, technology has not advanced to the point where humans can move from one location to another in a split second. Much like many other young adults, I have a great deal of anxiety about being unable to take care of myself financially.

I also, from time to time, fall into the trap of “success fomo” where people in your circle and on social media are achieving, “winning”, travelling, graduating and buying houses which inevitably leaves you feeling as though your life is at a standstill or moving at a snail pace.

I may not have accumulated much on a materialistic level yet, however, I am grateful and confident about the path that I am on. The morning commutes are awful and trying to build your adult life from scratch is exhausting. Knowing that I am on the right path to becoming the person that I am destined to become is what keeps me going.

In 2016, I was extremely uncertain about the trajectory that my career would take. I was also confronted with the reality of possibly being unemployed after completing my first honours degree.

Financially, I knew that I could not delay job hunting. I also knew that I would most probably end up doing a job that I had zero enthusiasm for.

While giving a talk at the Stanford Business School, Oprah Winfrey said something that helped me to re-visit my vision board and to question my path. “Knowing what you DON’T want to do is the best possible place to be in if you don’t know what do,” she said. I knew then that I did not want to sit in a cubicle  all day, juggling numbers and compiling reports.

I cannot measure my success or path by comparing myself to those around me. There is a greater purpose that I need to fulfil and a contribution that I need to make. I have learnt that I will never fully become the person that I am destined to be if I try to walk on a path that is not created for me.

It may be too early to tell where my career will take me. I might not be the most outstanding individual and I might be a bit naive about the profession. But my decision to enter the world of journalism has come with so much validation and purpose.

With every story told, I can feel the contribution that I am making towards informing and enlightening people. Journalism has forced me to exit a shell that I had been hiding in for years. In a space of a year I have grown and learnt lessons that will aid my journey in both professional and personal spaces.

I am definitely not where I want to be in life but I find peace in knowing that I am on the right path and that every day and every experience is a stepping stone leading me to something bigger, better and even more fulfilling.