A busy mom and business woman, St John’s D.S.G. Old Girl, Nokwazi Mkhatshwa (Class of 2008) works as a Procurement Assistant at a mine in the Nkomazi District in Mpumalanga. On top of this, she also runs her own business, Nkabanhle Nkabanhle Pty Ltd, which offers make-up services as well as scented candles and diffusers. When Nokwazi matriculated, she went on to study Drama and Performance Arts at the University of Pretoria and later completed her honors Degree at UKZN. She is a proud mom to two busy boys, aged 3 and 7, who she loves spending time with.

It was a pleasure to catch up with this fun, loving and ambitious lady for this month’s Heart-to-Heart.

What did you love most about St John’s D.S.G? 

I loved the spirit of sisterhood that we had and shared together. Over the years, I’ve seen the importance of true friendships. Many of the girls from my time at St John’s D.S.G. are still in my life today and I will forever be grateful to them for their support and love throughout many difficult times, especially when Covid-19 struck and I was trying to keep my business going.  Then there was the food! Being a boarder, I looked forward to the weekends where it was ‘all you could eat’ buffets… I didn’t get to go home as much as everyone else, so being served with amazing meals from the kitchen was a huge treat!

What does success mean to you and how did St John’s D.S.G. equip you for life after school?

I believe success differs for each person. For me, success means reaching certain goals and knowing I put in 100% effort to get there. I hope to be able to inspire other people through them seeing what I have achieved, through hard work and determination.

What advice do you have for our current girls and their families?

Girls, enjoy every moment, take it all in! Don’t rush to the end because you’ll look back and wonder where it all went. I would say support is key when it comes to going through the adolescent stage of life. Parents, be a part of all the situations that your girls share with you, there’s so much to learn from the growth that happens when young women are placed together… there’s strength in sisterhood!