Inspirational woman aspires to break stereotypes

A former Isipingo resident is on a mission to pay it forward by empowering other women with her success story.

Nklokomo Mhlophe has made significant strides to realise her ambition of becoming a ‘strong, independent black woman’. Now, thanks to her place in Engen’s Graduate Development Programme, she’s preparing to focus on the second half of that goal – to empower other women like herself.

Speaking out to mark Women’s Month, Nklokomo recalls how she was once among the majority who believe they’re not enough – not good enough at sport, not clever enough and not popular enough.

Today she’s a proud Bachelor of Commerce graduate of Rhodes University, and has a job in Engen’s enterprise, risk and assurance department in Cape Town.

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“During my school years, I lived between my father in Isipingo and my mother in Umlazi. I attended Doon Heights Primary, followed by Kingsway High School. My family always stood behind me, including my sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents. Without them I wouldn’t be half the person I am today,” she said.

Nklokomo knows, however that it was her own motivation that sent her in search of a spot in the Engen Maths and Science Schools (EMSS) programme at Mangosuthu University of Technology when she was still in high school, setting her life on its current trajectory.

“I used to see the scholars coming out of the university and I wanted to know what they were doing. I asked someone one day and they told me all about the EMSS programme, so I decided to join too,” she recalls, adding that the extra lessons proved crucial during her matric year.

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Internal audit manager, Bea Ndlovu, her mentor in Engen’s graduate development programme, has been another source of inspiration, providing her with support but also teaching her by example the value of good reasoning skills and critical analysis.

Nklokomo said she’s proud to be an example in her neighbourhood. “It is possible to break the status quo that sees youngsters believing that dropping out of school, teenage pregnancies and drug and alcohol use is all that’s available to them. One day I will start a youth organisation to give back, to show them there is another way,” she said.