Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) continues to demonstrate that they have what it takes to compete with its global counterparts when it comes to the world of innovation and entrepreneurship. The latest in this trend of success in entrepreneurship came in the form of a nomination by a prestigious business body.
Lindokuhle Zulu, an Advanced Diploma in Marketing student, has made it to the Top 20 of the 2022 Junior Chamber International (JCI) South Africa Ten Outstanding Young Persons of South Africa (SA TOYP) competition.
In a letter to Ntombifuthi Mthembu, Student Entrepreneurship at the University, JCI National President, Keke Kotsokoane, explained how Zulu was nominated.
“The final round of judging was performed by a panel of six judges that included past TOYP winners, external partners and JCI SA executives. The combined score of the two rounds of judging was used to determine the top 20 nominations of which you [Zulu] are one.”
Kotsokoane said that individuals in the top 20 nomination list would be allowed to gain even more votes through a public voting platform that will run from 10 June 2022 to 24 June 2022. The final top 10 outstanding persons will be narrowed further with the inclusion of the public vote. The public voting for the 2022 JCI TOYP top 10 will begin on 10 July 2021 using the link: https://forms.gle/JvpB4hpVfnaR6ECM9.
Zulu was recognised for “excellence in community development”. Zulu said these awards are designed for young people whose efforts have an impact on the lives of the communities.
Zulu said he was motivated by what he was seeing in his community in Gamalakhe Township, in Port Shepstone, south of KwaZulu-Natal.
“From a very young age, I observed that grade 11 learners who were condoned had challenges at grade 12. I noticed that there was a gap in what these learners knew. They needed help,” said Zulu. Zulu then started mentoring 27 learners. He said that many of them are graduates from different universities now. “They serve as an inspiration to me,” he said.
Zulu is a co-founder and director of You and I Foundation, founded on 27 August 2020. It is a non-profit organisation that advocates for community projects to give back to communities in the form of addressing social challenges and improving academic excellence among the youth.
The other members of the Foundation, who are all co-founders, are Mnqobi Dube, Treasurer General, Nkosingiphile Mazibuko, Secretary-General of the Foundation, and Senzeni Lushozi, Deputy Secretary, and lastly, Sihle Madondo.
The foundation also assists learners that are upgrading their grade 12 results at Isiqalo Institute in Academics. This institute, which is in Durban, is owned by MUT graduates Simphiwe Goniwe and Bhekuyise Bhengu.
Zulu has also qualified for the regional phase of the EHDE Intervarsity Competition, which will be hosted by MUT in September.