Mzophethwe reaches for his dreams
Having grown up and attended school in the village of Okhukho, which borders ZAC mine it was a surreal moment for Mzophethwe Khumalo (31) when he finally stepped foot on mine property in February 2020.
Mzophethwe is an IT intern at ZAC. He says he will never forget that day when in February 2020, he came to ZAC, which had long been a dream of his, having grown up in the shadow of the mine. He started his IT career in 2015 when he attended the private college, Commerce And Computer College of South Africa in Durban and completed his 3-year IT qualification in 2017.
“I have learned a lot, especially since this was my first time going underground. Working with fibre cables and cameras, underground comes with its own set of challenges, but it is a great feeling when everything works out. Whether it’s the configuration of the switches or installation of WI-FI in the Shafts, at ZAC Main Office and the Siding, I have gained so much experience. I also believe that being a local, has made it easy for me to adapt to this environment, as I grew up here.”
His long term dream is to get established in mining and become a Mining-IT Professional. “The IT work experience I have gained from working here at ZAC has helped me so much. I can now do almost everything that is required in terms of IT. ZAC IT Technician Sabelo Jilajila has mentored me throughout my internship and I am very grateful for all that he has taught me.”
uMzophethwe ufeza iphupho lakhe
Emuva kokukhula aphinde afunde Okhukho, okuyisigodi esakhele imayini iZAC, kwaba kumzuzu ongakholakali kuMzophethwe Khumalo (31) ngesikhathi ebeka unyawo lwakhe emagcekeni ale mayini ngo Nhlolanja wezi-2020.
UMzophethwe uyithwasa lezobuchwepheshe bokuxhumana eZAC. Uthi ngeke alukhohlwa lolo suku anyathela ngalo eZAC, nokwabe kuyiphupho lakhe leminyaka ekhula eduze kwayo. Waqala uhambo lwakhe emkhakheni we-IT ngo-2015 ngesikhathi eqala izifundo zakhe ekolishi ezimele, iCommerce and Computer College of South Africa eThekwini. Waphothula izifundo zakhe ngo-2017.
“Ngifunde okuningi kwazise bengiqala ukuya ngaphansi komhlaba. Ukusebenza ngezintambo ze-fibre namakhamera ngaphansi komhlaba kunezingqinamba zakho, kodwa kuba wumuzwa omnandi uma konke kugcina kulungile. Noma ukulungisa ama-switch noma ukufaka iWI-FI phansi emgodini wemayini, ehhovisi elikhulu, ngithole amava amakhulu. Ngikholwa nokuthi ukuba ngumuntu wasendaweni kwenze kwaba lula kimi ukuthi ngizinze la ngoba ngikhulele khona.”