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A youngster from Namakgale township, located 12 km outside of Phalaborwa in Mopani District, Desmond Mmola (22), was awarded a comprehensive bursary by the Department of Water and Sanitation in 2011 of which he had no idea of how to access it, leading him to sleep on university floors. 

Mmola, who aced his matric in 2018 with a bachelor pass which granted him an entrance to any university of his choice, travelled all the way from his hometown with nothing but the clothes on his back and a few items to see him through a week or so, as well his sterling matric results to the Capital City in attempts to make a living for himself. 

“When I left home, I told my mother that I going to further my studies in Pretoria. I had no concrete plan but one thing that I was sure of was that, come what may, I am going to study and make the most of my time in university,” said Mmola. 

Little did he know that what lied ahead would become an experience that will change his life forever. 

“The first few days I spent at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) buildings upon my arrival were the hardest. I spent the days on campus passageways during the day, and I would also sleep on the same passageways at night,” Mmola said. 

“I felt so despondent, judged and often questioned my decision to study, not knowing that I was about to turn the corner. I was introduced to Kagiso Komane, who has now become a mentor, a brother and close friend, who took my hand and was willing to hear my story,” he added. 

Komane took Mmola in, where they shared a one-bedroom flat. Komane is a tutor at TUT who also assists university students and high school pupils with maths and science during his spare time. 

“When we spoke, I realised that Mmola had a bursary letter from the Department of Water and Sanitation, which stipulated that upon his successful completion of matric, he will be required to produce proof of admission at a registered university. I do not think that he understood fully what that meant, which I felt was understandable. Most of us have went through a similar situation,” said Komane. 

“I then took it upon myself to reach out to the Department, set up a meeting where we discussed what the bursary entailed,” he said. 

After having a meeting with the Department, the duo then found out that several attempts were made to contact Mmola, to discuss details of the bursary, but to no avail. 

“My heart almost stopped when Ms Susan Andrews (programme coordinator for bursaries), told me that they have been waiting on me to submit the proof of admission at TUT. I cried so much that day as I could not believe it. I remember thinking that my dream to further my studies would become a reality,” expressed teary Mmola. 

Mmola has since graduated with a Diploma in Analytical Chemistry in May this year from TUT and plans to further his studies until PhD level. 

He was part of a group of students that was awarded bursaries in 2017 as part of the Department’s the South African Youth Water Prize competitions which is a science & technology-based programme, calling on high school learners to come up with innovative ideas to curb the spread of water leaks in their communities. 

Mmola has also represented the country in 2017 at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in Sweden, competing with learners from 30 countries to pitch an innovation named “Water Wastage- A thing of the past.” He is currently on a work integrated learning programme within the Department. 

Issued by the Department of Water & Sanitation