MaBongi



Joan with Sibongile Madi (right) and Bwalya Lungu (centre)



This is so hard and painful. How do I even begin to describe a person like Joan, how do I even begin to describe the impact Joan has made in my life for so many years. Words especially written words do not even begin to describe how Joan has been my Teacher, my Mentor, my Grandmother and my other Boss.

I met Joan in 2000. This was the year of the merger between ML Sultan Technikon and Natal Technikon. I wanted to enrol for my B Tech in Language Practice but I did not have tuition fees. I was referred to Joan by an SRC member, who described Joan as ‘Umlungu o nice onemali’ (a kind white person with money) who is pleasant and helpful with students and she has funds to give to B tech students. I made an appointment to see Joan and one afternoon I went to see her. When I got to Joan’s office she started asking me these intense probing questions that I had not expected. In my mind I did not think this was going to be an interview. Half way through the interview Joan started falling asleep. I thought to myself I have bored this woman to death and there goes my chance of getting this funding.

Later on me and my class mates discovered that Joan was going to be our Lecturer for Language Dynamics IV. Funding was available for all B tech students registered full time, therefore all of us did receive funding. Joan was my supervisor for my research project at B Tech level and I remember the one thing that she said to me after submitting and re-submitting my literature review for my proposal.  She gave me back my proposal and said there’s nothing wrong with your proposal, grammar is fine, and there are no spelling mistakes. I thought to myself ‘phew’ now I am done I can move on to other things. But when I sat down by myself later, I looked at my proposal Joan had commented on my literature review and said there are two sides of the coin. I did not understand what Joan meant by that and I certainly wasn’t going back to ask, I had done and redone my proposal for so long.

But that has stuck with me and I know now that those are the words that I live by and they have made me who I am, that there are always two sides of the story. There is my way of seeing things and there’s other peoples way of seeing things and one needs to be open to those as well. For me this has also taught me that one should not be quick to judge but to listen. Thank you Joan for teaching me to be able to ask these questions that make one think deep  and more about who they are and where they are going to.

Joan has pushed me to doing things that other people told me I was never going to be able to do. I, myself did not have the confidence to recognise what I was capable of achieving. Joan saved my life literally.  In 2001 when I was sick and didn’t know what was wrong with me, Joan came to my rescue. For that I am forever grateful and forever indebted to you for saving my life.

Thank you Joan for introducing to me my wonderful boss Shubnam, I now have wonderful colleagues at CELT. Thank you, Joan for all the opportunities that you have created for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and we love you!