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Mrs. Lufuno

Matsepane

MY TERTIARY where I was staying. Some of the monies
helped my grandmother to pay for my
EDUCATION siblings’ school fees.

n 2000, I moved to Johannesburg to
At that time my then boyfriend (now my
stay with my mother and registered
Ito study Chemical Engineering at h u s b a n d ) h a d a l s o m o v e d t o
Johannesburg and was studying at Wits
University of Johannesburg, then called
Wits Technikon. Before I could register, University. I started seeing my boyfriend
more regularly as he would visit my
my mother took me to a cult church in
place more often. As a result, in 2003
Alexander Township for prophecies to during my last year of tertiary I fell
be made regarding my registration and pregnant and gave birth to our son in
studies at the institution. The false
prophet prophesied that there would be October 2003 when we had just started
with the final year examinations.
no hindrance and that I should register
as my ways were clear. My mother paid It was embarrassing for me to be fall
for my tuitions fees as I did not have pregnant whilst attending classes and
bursary.
writing exams. By the grace of the Lord,
my aunt managed to come from the
Being from a rural area, I had challenges
homelands to babysit while I studied at
with my studies as I was not affluent with night. We would take turns to look after
the English language. This affected my the baby. This continued until I finished
concentration in classes and the use of
modern technological equipment also writing my exams. At the time I also had
a part time job. I managed to pass, and I
proved to be a challenge. It was difficult
completed my theory part of my
for me to adjust to urban life and the national diploma in 2003. companies for the in-service training,
method of instruction at tertiary level. I but was unsuccessful. My then
consequently failed some of my first
year modules. My mother was very In 2004 after my aunt had returned to boyfriend, also tried to help me with the
homelands, I had to move to Mamelodi applications, but I would get the regret
supportive and she encouraged me to go in Pretoria to stay with my boyfriend’s responses. In 2005 I got another
back and try again.
family as I needed help with babysitting temporary work in Germiston working
the child whilst I was looking for in- shifts as a line operator. As a result of
In 2001 when I was studying my second
year, my mother fell very sick and passed service training in order to complete my shifts work, I had to relocate to
national diploma. Germiston to stay next to the
away in June. Her passing made me feel workplace. The company was an
so lonely, empty and depressed most of I struggled to get in-service training in international company and big in
the time. Fortunately, she had some
savings which assisted in paying for my order to complete my P1 and P2 to automotive industry, so I kept on
graduate. I kept on applying to different applying internally hoping for the in-
tuition’s fees, and accommodation

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