UNks Diana Mngomezulu odabuka oPongola, KwaZulu-Natali, ungomunye wososayensi bezitshalo abasafufusa abakhiqizwe yi-University of Free State (i-UFS).
Emva kokuphothula izifundo zakhe ze-honours egxile ekufundeni izindlela zokunciphisa ukufa kwezitshalo ngenxa yezifo, uNks Mngomezulu usenza i-Master’s lapho ecwaninga khona isifo iFusarium head blight (FHB) kukolweni.
IFusarium yisifo esishisa ukolweni nokwehlisa umkhiqizo wembewu esuke itshaliwe. Singesinye sezifo ezimandla kulezo ezihlasela ukolweni. Ucwaningo lwakhe lugxile ekukhiqizeni ukolweni okwazi ukumelana kangcono ne-FHB. Ayikho enye into ayeyicabanga uNks Mngomezulu ngaphandle kokuba wusosayensi kodwa utshele iFood For Mzansi ukuthi izifundo zakhe akuyona kuphela into ayeyinakile.
“Ezemidlalo enye yezinto engangizimisela kuyo ikakhulukazi ngoba kwakusho ukuthi ngiyaphuma ekilasini ngivakashele ezinye izikole. Ngesikhathi ngivakashile ngangibona izitshalo ezihlukene, amadamu nemifula endleleni. Ngokukhulela oPongola ngibe nenhlanhla yokubona ukuthi yini ongayikhiqiza emhlabathini ovundile kanjalo nezilwane zasendle ezikhona ezweni lethu,” kusho yena.
Ulandele ipupho akhule nalo
UNks Mngomezulu uyakhumbula ukuthi uthando lwakhe lweziBalo lwaqala esafunda amabanga aphansi. Yisona sifundo ayezibambela kusona kalula yize evuma ukuthi nakwiSayensi kwakuyiso leso.
“Ngazi ngisafunda amabanga aphansi ukuthi ngifisa ukuba wusosayensi. Ngangithanda ukwazi ngeloli engezwa kuthiwa lithutha indle liyiyise emafemini ukuze kuhlanganiswe umanyolo wezitshalo. Ngazitshela ukuthi ‘Njengoba abalimi besenzela ukudla, name ngifisa ukondla izitshalo ngokudla.’”
Yikho lokhu okwamholela emnyangweni we-plant sciences e-UFS.
“Ezolimo ziyamangalisa, njengakho nje ukuba wusosayensi. Ngenhlanhla ngikwazile ukukuhlanganisa kokubili ukwenza okuhle. Ngifunde eVryheid Agricultural High School [eNyakatho yeKwaZulu-Natali]. Isinqumo ngomsebenzi ozowenza senziwa esikoleni samabanga aphezulu. Izifundo ozikhetha kwaGrade 10 yizona ezikukhombisa imisebenzi ongakwazi ukuyifundela uma ususesikhungweni semfundo ephakeme.”
UNks Mngomezulu uthi izifundo ayezenza kwakuyi-mathematics, i-physical science, i-life sciences ne-agricultural sciences. Wayeyingxenye yeqembu esikoleni sakhe elalibhekelela ukuqoqwa kukadoti futhi wasebenza ne-Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment yaseMelika. Lokhu kwaholela ekutheni ahambele e-India ngo-2014 eyocobelela ulwazi.
Wengeze ngokuthi nakuba kungesibo bonke abafundi ababa namamaki enele ukuze bathathwe enyuvesi, uthi i-UFS inolunye uhlelo lokufundisa olwengeziwe alubhalisela. Uphothule izifundo zeBSc in botany and plant breeding ngo-2020.
Once she completes the next phase of her academic career, Mngomezulu feels the possibilities are endless.
“Kufana nokuthi ubambe i-jackpot uma uwusosayensi wezitshalo,” usho kanje.
Uthi mining imisebenzi eyenziwa ngama-plant breeder ethinta ukusiza izitshalo zikwazi ukumelana nezifo, ukuzondla nokunye okuhambisana nokukhulisa izitshalo.
“Bangasebenza nanjengabacwaningi e-laboratory, i-technician, umhlaziyi wezibalo, abameli(abagxile kumalungelo ama-plant breeders, othisha basemanyuvesi nama-extension officer. Lona ngumuntu oxhumanisa ama-plant breeder nabalimi kodwa kufanele kube wukuthi uqeqeshelwe ukuba yi-plant breeder.
“Uma umuntu eneziqu ze-botany, angasebenza agxile kwezemvelo, i-plant biotechnology, i-plant physiology, i-plant biochemistry, i-plant molecular biology, i-plant taxonomy, i-plant systematics nokunye okuningi. Angikayiphathi nokuyiphatha imisebenzi ekwi-plant pathology.”
Nakuba uNks Mngomezulu engakabi nalo ulwazi olutheni kwi-plant pathology, usefunde lukhulu kuDkt u-Adré Minnaar-Ontong, inhloko ye-plant sciences e-UFS, nasethimbeni le-plant pathology laboratory. “Ngizothi ngiqeda iziqu zami ze-Master’s ngizobe senginolwazi olunzulu,” kusho yena ngeqholo.
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