Youth encouraged to follow their dreams
“People write off Mamelodi youths as lost. My peers should not give up on their dreams especially those who are coming from disadvantaged families.”
“Pick your friends right and don’t do drugs – and you can accomplish anything if you don’t give up!”
This was the message a Mamelodi East youth wanted to share with his peers and the younger generation.
“I nearly destroyed my life by mixing with wrong friends,” said Tumelo Ndhlovu (25).
Ndhlovu is currently an education and transformation officer for the student representative council (SRC) at the Tshwane North College.
Ndhlovu describes himself as a natural-born leader.
He was a head boy at Hoërskool Silverton and was accepted at the Tshwane University of Technology to study film and production in 2016, but he later dropped out and “mixed with the wrong friends”.
“My life immediately turned upside down. I stopped caring about the important issues in life. Instead, I was partying every week and forgot about the things I wanted to achieve in life,” he said.
Ndhlovu said he wasted five years of his life until he was accepted at the Tshwane North College in 2021 to study for his N6 legal secretary certificate.
He is now in his second semester.
“My peers should not give up on their dreams, especially those from disadvantaged families.
“They can still reach their dreams but they must stay focused despite their poor backgrounds.”
Ndhlovu further encouraged those who have already given up on their dreams to stay focused and follow their dreams – no matter what age they are or what family background they are coming from.
“It is never too late – you can still change your life.”
He said people wrote off Mamelodi youths as “lost”.
“Do not give in to people’s opinions. Think about what you want to do with your life and go get it.”
“Drugs destroy lives and the youth must do something with their lives and find something that will keep them busy and off the streets.
“Education is the key to success,” said Ndhlovu.
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