VIDEO: Ocean fundi realises his ‘jaw’some dream
Durban North resident, Kolobe Lucas Mmonwa, was recently named one of the Mail & Guardian's top 200 Young South Africans of 2017 - beating over 2 400 other hopefuls.
DEFEATING the odds is something of a talent for Durban North resident, Kolobe Lucas Mmonwa, who was recently named one of the Mail & Guardian’s top 200 Young South Africans of 2017 – beating over 2 400 other hopefuls.
With his innocent smile and youthful appearance it is hard to imagine that the 32-year-old is one of South Africa’s leading marine biologists. Especially since he was born and raised in a small village in Limpopo, Ga-Matlala, which in about 400km from the nearest ocean.
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“I was 22 years old when I first saw the ocean,” he told the Northglen News with his infectious laugh.
“It is ironic, because when I finished matric I wanted to study IT, however, my mother was a domestic worker and we could not afford the registration fees,” he said.
Fortunately, Mmonwa learned that he qualified for a full bursary to study a Bachelor of Science (Bsc) degree at the University of Limpopo, and so he jumped at the opportunity.
It was during his second semester, in his Zoology course, that he fell in love with biodiversity, and his dream of being a marine biologist blossomed.
He would end up doing his honours in Zoology, focusing his research on the parasites of the great white sharks.
“At that point I still had never seen a shark or any of the other marine life that I had been studying, and people told me that I was crazy,” he said.
Then by accident he stumbled on an advert for a masters scholarship at the Rhodes University, and took on the challenge of studying the genetics of seaweed – something he didn’t know existed up unto this point.
He later pursued his PhD and then in 2014 joined the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board.
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After achieving what others thought was impossible Mmonwa now hopes to inspire the youth of South Africa. He also aspires to become involved in policy decisions and to ensure the sustainable use of South Africa’s marine resources.
“Anyone can do it. Regardless of their background. I believe in hard work and dedication. If you focus on what you want you can do anything,” he said.
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