Hasta la victoria, siempre – Ever onward to victory

Growing up an orphan

Perfect Lekolwana, a Unisa staffer and  Speaker of the National Student Parliament at Unisa, recently graduated with a Bachelor of Laws Honours (LLB Hons) degree. Born and raised in rural Lephalale in the Limpopo Province, Lekolwana went to Klipspruit Primary School and later completed matric at Makgwading Secondary School in Zebediela.

Regarding his upbringing, he says: “I lost my mother at an early age, and that consequently exposed me and my siblings to the many hardships of poverty.” He adds that growing up in a poverty-stricken village with no opportunities and limited resources was extremely difficult and that he had no hope that conditions would change. “The education I received in rural Limpopo was not adequate in comparison to that offered by city schools,” he says.

Perfect Lekolwana, a Unisa staffer and Speaker of the National Student Parliament at Unisa

Growing up as an orphan, Lekolwana often had to depend on the school feeding scheme to get a daily meal, even though it was just one meal served over the school break time. After this meal, his next would often be the next day at the same time. It was not just food he and his siblings often had to go without, they did not even have necessities like shoes and warm clothes in the winter months. It was this difficulty, however, that eventually gave Lekolwana the motivation and strength to strive towards attaining his matric certificate.

Upon completion of matric, he moved to Pretoria to stay with his aunt in Atteridgeville. He was accepted at the University of Johannesburg to study a Bachelor of Laws, an opportunity he did not pursue due to a lack of necessary resources. However, not all hope was lost as an opportunity to study at Unisa came about in 2016. Today, Lekolwana is enrolled to study for his Master’s in Public Constitutional Law and International Law at Unisa and also works at the College of Law, in the Department of Public, Constitutional and International Law.

Leadership

Lekolwana’s background inspired him to advocate for change and access to opportunities for the marginalised. He says: “Having observed and lived in deep poverty and knowing the plight which university students face daily gave me the courage to advocate and strive to change the conditions of a black child.” He believes that leadership is not tied to a position. This has been evident in his activism efforts within the university, where he has actively worked hard to assist students with issues like registrations and bursary related constraints. In his role as Speaker of the National Student Parliament, he serves to ensure that the students’ voices are heard and their concerns are addressed. His primary responsibility is to convene and preside over the student parliament where the National Student Representative Council is called to account.

Explaining why he chose to study the specific LLB qualification he graduated in at Unisa, Lekolwana says that his living conditions as well as those of his fellow black brothers and sisters have always inspired him to advocate for a just society. “In a country where there is a distinct degree of inequality and injustice, where women are inhumanely treated by men and children are neglected by their fathers, and where corruption and crime are the daily bread, I chose this LLB degree because it will enable me to play a steadfast role in the transformation project  of decolonisation at an academic level and at a judicial level.” He explains further: “The problems we face as a black nation emanate from the landlessness we have as a people. The unequal distribution of the wealth of this country has created the problems we face as a black nation.”

Studying at Unisa

Explaining why he chose to study at Unisa, he says: “I chose Unisa because it is an institution which is accessible to everyone, regardless of gender, orientation or financial background without discrimination. Its flexibility afforded me a chance to take part-time jobs whilst studying. Most of all, I like Unisa for its renowned scholars who hold a distinct scholarship at an international level—over the years it has produced brilliant graduates who contribute to society, such as the former Chief Justice of South Africa, Mogoeng Mogoeng.”

Pursuing his studies as a full-time employee while executing his responsibilities at the Student Parliament was challenging. However, Lekolwana believes that anything is doable if you can manage to balance your responsibilities. Sharing strategies he employed to complete his qualification with so much on his plate, he says: “I kept my priorities in check, managed time and ensured that I cut out anything which was unnecessarily consuming my study time. This helped me to be academically up to date and focused.”

Sharing some of the challenges he faced during his academic journey at the university, he says: “Studying a very demanding qualification at a university whose students are treated unequally to those of other universities when it comes to student funding and allowances by the Department of Higher Education and Training, in particular, was extremely challenging. I had to endure the plight of hunger and emotional breakdowns which came with the struggle of not having sufficient learning resources.” 

He explains further that sometimes he felt like he would not complete his degree. However, he says: “As a prisoner of hope, I never betrayed the struggle, and never fed the negativity because it wasn’t going to assist me in any way to achieve my goals.”   He adds: “As if that was not enough, the challenge of learning and studying in a European language was difficult for me as it has been for any other black child at Unisa. This favoured our white counterparts who had an opportunity to be assessed in English and Afrikaans, but was a challenge for a student who does not have an English background and the privilege to be assessed in my own language. However, I take pride in having succeeded under the circumstances.”

During the challenges, many encouraged Lekolwana, above all a beloved senior family member. “Great tribute is given to my great-aunt ‘Mamogolo’ for the supportive role she played in my life,” he says. “She filled the gap of not having a mother—on this day I wish my mother was present to witness and experience this joyous moment with me as I celebrate my achievement. May her soul rest in eternal peace.” He adds further: “I also want to say, I wouldn’t have fought this hard to victory had it not been for the support I gained from my comrades from the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Council (EFFSC) Unisa Tshwane and the Unisa Law Clinic (ULSA). They have shown me loyalty and I will always remain grateful and loyal to them.”

Whilst he is celebrating this graduation, it does not end here for Lekolwane as he intends to strive for more. First, he notes that the qualification has afforded him an opportunity in the academic field and to apply to become an advocate. “This will enable me to pursue my dreams to become an academic and a practising advocate,” he says. “Furthermore, I intend to pursue my studies to a doctoral level.”

Lekolwane’s story resembles that of “rags to riches”. Prevailing through the physical and emotional hardships of poverty and growing up as an orphan, there’s much to learn from and admire in him. Advising other students, he shares his motto: “We pray away the pain of not being in alignment with our dreams.” He adds: “It is challenging being a Unisa student, more especially with the challenges you will encounter as an online distance learning student—from funding to administrative to academic encounters. However, I encourage you to be focused, disciplined and committed to your studies. The road grows steep as you progress but stay steadfast and courageous. You will reap the fruits of your hard work.” He concludes: “Be positive, never allow anything to divert your focus and always remember that the vision is greater than your current circumstances. Hasta la victoria, siempre – Victory is certain.”

*By Tshimangadzo Mphaphuli, Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement