At 39 years old, Ndumiso Nongcaula, an employee at Kouga Local Municipality, has achieved a significant academic milestone – earning his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Durban University of Technology.
His journey from Kokstad to his current role as Humansdorp Area Engineer: Electrical is a testament to perseverance and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.
“My dream was to become a soccer player,” Nongcaula recalled. “But that dream faded when I was 15, after I broke my leg during a match. That moment forced me to rethink my future.”
Although he did not study immediately after matriculating, Nongcaula’s career took him into local government. He worked in a factory in Johannesburg before he joined the Greater Kokstad Municipality.
His path led him to Kouga Local Municipality in 2019, where he now oversees electrical operations and ensures electrical safety for workers, residents and animals across the municipality, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
He began his MBA journey in 2022, with his research focused on the role of the electricity department in supporting sustainable municipal revenue, using Kouga Local Municipality as a case study.
The process came with challenges, particularly funding.
“There were moments when I wanted to give up,” he admitted. “I had to pay a statistician to analyse my data because the university would not accept anything that was not verified. The financial strain was tough, but my research supervisor, Professor Govender, kept pushing me.”
Now, with his degree in hand, Nongcaula is filled with pride and gratitude. “I am overwhelmed with joy. This MBA is not just about me – it is about growth and about using knowledge to improve service delivery. That is why I have already started working on my PhD proposal to take this research even further.”
Despite his demanding career, Nongcaula remains deeply committed to his community as an ordained minister, spending his free time on evangelism and mentoring young men.
Looking ahead, his ambitions stretch far beyond his current role.
“I see myself as Director General of CoGTA one day. That is my goal – to make a bigger impact on local government and ensure municipalities operate efficiently.”
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