College of Human Sciences

Exemplary student leader wins estimable writing competition

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Thabiso Mthembu

His enthusiasm to learn more about diplomacy gave Thabiso Mthembu, a Unisa student, the competitive urge to bring his A-game into the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Essay Writing Contest and, ultimately, come out victorious. Exhilarated about winning the contest, Mthembu says: "To me, this victory means that dreams do come true, and I am inspired to further my studies with Unisa."

Mthembu is the African National Congress Youth League Deputy Secretary for the Unisa Sunnyside Campus’ Es’kia Mphahlele Branch, studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. "I chose this study field as I am passionate about politics and making South Africa thrive in the world of diplomacy in terms of multilateralism, African renaissance, global peace and cooperation," he remarks.

The DIRCO Essay Writing Contest allows the youth to showcase their knowledge of various international relations topics on paper. Mthembu’s best essay focused on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and how South Africa, as part of the BRICS group, can benefit from it. He explains: "BRICS has access to the African continent through South Africa. Therefore, my essay focused on BRICS opportunities through AfCFTA and how that can grow the South African economy and our trade relations with other BRICS countries." Mthembu adds that the relationship would also benefit these countries socially, educationally and culturally.

The contest’s reward was an all-expense paid trip to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting that recently took place in Cape Town in preparation for the upcoming BRICS Summit in August. For Mthembu, this was a life-changing experience as he dreams of becoming a politician or diplomat. He says: "I got to understand how diplomacy works, how to engage in the field, and how to conduct myself to effectively represent my country globally."

As South Africa observes Youth Month in June, Mthembu encourages the youth to grab opportunities offered by various government organisations, to help address social ills such as teenage pregnancy and drug and substance abuse in their communities. "These opportunities also give hope to a black child who comes from a community that battles with these social ills that their dreams are valid, and they can reach them through hard work," Mthembu asserts.

Additionally, he affirms that the qualification he is studying at Unisa played a considerable role in assisting him in winning the contest. He elaborates that it informs him about various issues that influence diplomacy. "While I encourage Unisa to enhance their online platforms such as Moodle and the Invigilator App," Mthembu continues, "my experience studying at the institution has been good. I recommend Unisa to others as it teaches students independence and time management in order to effectively execute their academic work." Mthembu further adds that the university prepares its students for the work environment.

His message to Unisa, as it turns 150 years this year, is to prioritise the effective management of the institution continuously. He concludes: "This will ensure that the institution produces graduates that can be change agents."

#Unisa150

* By Nancy Legodi, Acting Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement

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Publish date: 2023/06/20