By Prudence Mathenjwa| 18 May 2025
The Durban University of Technology (DUT) hosted the Qhakaza Ladies Network Siyakhana Women’s conference for female students on Saturday, 17 May 2025.
The event was a developmental initiative by the university to encourage female students to prioritise their health, well-being and receive guidance from women who are achieving and making wise choices on the careers and relationships that they keep.
Guest speaker Mandisa Kheswa who is a DUT graduate, Sales Executive, Content Creator, motivated students to prioritise working towards gaining financial freedom, breaking the cycle of women depended on others to make a living.
“I have worked in deferent clothing brands’ stores just to build my financial strength,
“I am a hustler, I have always been one,” she said.
She also encouraged them put their media to a good use for making money and also practice saving skills from an early age.
“Download that Facebook and be serious about it,”
“Posting those videos there could enable you to monetise your account and make money,” Kheswa said.
She advised students to be careful about the ways that they use their social media and to also be mindful of what they post online as it may have a negative impact in their professional futures.
Kheswa encouraged young female students to not fall under the traps of peer pressure and having to compete by doing morally corrupted acted acts to gain luxurious things that they see from their fellow peers.
“You must not allow yourself to be pressured to finding means to have that one Gucci bag you saw on social media,” she said.
She urged female students to prioritise the students to be content and grateful for all the tiny things that they have or receive in life.
Student counsellor, Siphesihle Ngubo advised female students to identify the social ills that put them in vulnerable situations with their partners in their romantic relationships.
“There’s an issue of young women allowing their partners to tell them things about their bodies that make them vulnerable to infections like HIV and having other negative impacts in their futures.
She said there are university students who believe that certain illnesses are for different races, tribes or religions.
Ngubo urges young female students to question and understand the dynamics of the relationships that they get into, to help them navigate the impact of the choices that they make or things that they allow to happen in those relationships which can impact their health and wellbeing in the long run.
Students who attend the event felt encouraged and motivated to make wiser choices amid striving towards academic excellence as exam season is approaching.
Noluthando Hadebe, a student said “The Qhakaza Ladies event was an eye-opener, as I have gained wise words which will help me evaluate the choices that I make while in University, so that I can make myself and my family proud.”
Another student, Yolanda Mthethwa said the event was fun as she was able to learn how to identify forms of peer pressure and received tools to do away with it.
The event ended with a fun session of aerobic workouts, jumping castles, bull riding, waterslides and some face painted art organised by the university for the students’ entertainment through fun and games.
