MR COMFORT MATOTI Graduate intern at Infrastructure South Africa
Eventually, he hopes to help to transform this country and its people. Matoti has already learned not to underestimate his power to make a difference. In 2019 he closed his own construction company because he questioned his abilities. In hindsight, he believes he could have succeeded, instead of temporarily becoming part of the problem by not acting to achieve the necessary solutions. “Never limit your dreams, it can always begin with you.” BA Political science and international relations, 2019 independence for the communities she works with. She was recently selected to participate in the 2022 Mandela Washington Fellowship, an academic fellowship opportunity in the United States. Mathenjwa firmly believes that everyone has a divine life purpose; she encourages young people to embrace their uniqueness and follow their paths to success. “Mistakes make us wise and are propellants to an unknown, yet adventurous, future.” BCom Economics & Econometrics. 2009 Working his way up the industry ladder, Maphakela says he came to the realisation that he was no longer making films to make money, but rather trying to make money so that he could make more films. Previously, the University of Johannesburg graduate worked as a camera operator before progressing to editing various television shows for the SABC, e.tv, Mzansi Magic and Showmax. “Learn and never stop learning. Write and keep writing. Shoot and keep shooting, create and keep creating.” BA Film & Television, 2012
Helping to fix South Africa isn’t as hard as we think, says Comfort Matoti. His job with Infrastructure South Africa has shown him that good things can happen. “It only needs willingness and dedication to action,” he says. Which is good news, because Matoti is an intern helping to implement South Africa’s National Infrastructure Plan 2050. He provides technical assistance to identify and plan the huge infrastructure projects South Africa so desperately needs. He’s currently working with some municipalities on electricity, water, sanitation, education, health and human settlement projects. Nokwanda Mathenjwa is an industrial development researcher at the University of Johannesburg, busy completing her master’s in industrial policy. Her passion lies with grassroots rural community development projects. She believes that South Africa could revolutionise its economic growth and youth unemployment rates by using an improved industrial policy that reforms disparities of the past and makes resources available. Mathenjwa aims for her projects to have positive and sustainable impacts on communities, particularly in terms of job opportunities for women and youth. She fosters economic John Pheko Maphakela’s love for film and television is bundled up with a heartfelt desire to share it with others. Strong ties to his community underpin the work of Blouberg Cinema, an initiative Maphakela cofounded with friends in 2020. Through this mobile, open-air and drive-through cinema experience, he and his acolytes are making South African films available to audiences across Limpopo. Maphakela wishes to create opportunities for local filmmakers and to promote film as an agent of development and change.
MS NOKWANDA MATHENJWA
Industrial development researcher, University of Johannesburg
MR JOHN PHEKO MAPHAKELA Film & TV editor, Blouberg Cinema
ALUMNI IMPUMELELO 70
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