In 2020, Lwandisile Mhlanga arrived at Stellenbosch University (SU) from Orange Farm near Johannesburg with little more than a suitcase and the determination to make things work. 

Helped along on his journey by various support initiatives, he is now a first-generation graduate pursuing a master’s degree in engineering with a focus on logistics and supply chain systems.

His studies have been funded by a combination of bursaries and grants, and he is also a recipient of the Nedbank Mike Brown Scholarship, which has been instrumental in supporting his master’s journey.

“Without funding, my journey would have ended before it began. Bursary support removed the constant pressure of survival and allowed me to focus my energy on building something meaningful through education,” he explains.

To Mhlanga, the bursary support has meant access, relief and possibility. “It gave me the space to choose growth over limitation and has fundamentally changed the trajectory of my life.”

It has also created space for him to grow into leadership, and he is especially passionate about creating supportive environments that empower students to thrive academically, socially, and personally.

He is the current vice-chairperson of the senior Prim Committee and has served on the house committees of both Metanoia Residence and Huis Russel Botman House. Last year he received a Rector’s Award for leadership. 

The power of kindness

This seed was planted on his first day in Stellenbosch. “I accidentally arrived a day earlier than I was supposed to. Because of that, I was not included in the catering arrangements for that day. One of the House Committee members, Luboya, noticed my situation and offered to buy me food and made sure I was okay. That moment stayed with me because it showed me the power of small acts of kindness. It made me feel seen, welcomed, and less alone.

“Serving in student leadership allowed me to turn my gratitude into responsibility,” he adds. I know what it feels like to need support, and I know how life-changing it can be when someone chooses to show up for you.”

Mhlanga is also part of SU’s Listen, Live and Learn (LLL) programme, a senior co-curricular leadership development initiative designed to cultivate graduate attributes, social cohesion and responsible leadership.

He now wishes to create opportunities for others in the same way opportunities were created for him. One way of paying it forward, is through the Mhlanga Foundation, a community-focused initiative he started in Orange Farm last year which is deeply connected to his own experience of growing up in an under-resourced township environment. 

He is currently focusing mainly on Grade 12 learners, assisting them with university and college applications, sharing information about study options, helping them understand bursary opportunities, and guiding them through the process of planning for life after school. His long-term vision is to develop the Mhlanga Foundation into a structured programme that supports learners from Grade 4 to matric. 

“The Foundation’s ultimate goal is to remind young people that their background does not have to limit their future,” he says.

Mhlanga’s choice of degree is both personal and purposeful. He regards logistics and supply chain management as strategic systems that influence business performance, trade, economic growth, and job creation and wants to develop the analytical, technical, and strategic skills needed to contribute to these systems in a meaningful way.

He explains: “My goal is to build a career where I can solve practical problems, improve systems, and contribute to industries that have a real impact on people, businesses, and communities.”