On a journey to self-empowerment
- Wits University
Once a cashier at a cafeteria on campus, Mpumi Ngceni has now progressed to join Campus Protection Services.
Those who frequented Theo’s, a cafeteria on Braamfontein Campus East, would have met the bubbly Mpumi. She was the last person they encountered at the eatery before walking off with their meal. Her professionalism was the final seasoning that ensured a pleasant meal experience.
Mpumi first set foot at Wits in January 2017 after a friend told her about a job opportunity. “That friend was a lifesaver, as I had been unemployed for a long time after the previous employment closed,” says Mpumi.
Although hired by an independent service provider and thus not contractually a Wits employee, Mpumi says she felt right at home. “I immediately fell in love with Wits and its people. They walked with purpose, and I was helping them to achieve this – in my own way.”
Her hopes to join the Wits community as a fully-fledged member of staff were realised in September 2019 when she was offered a job as a cleaner. The transition from cashier to cleaner was the fulfilment of a promise the University made during the insourcing agreement. The terms of the agreement were that, once the previously ‘Wits workers’ were insourced, Wits would then offer any arising jobs in the lower grades to workers employed by independent vendors operating at Wits, subject to a lock-in clause (those based at Wits at the time of insourcing).
As a cleaner, Mpumi was first deployed at West Campus residences before moving to Braamfontein Centre and Noswal Hall.
Now with full access to employee benefits, including the staff bursary, Mpumi enrolled for a diploma in logistics management at the University of Johannesburg.
“I passed first year and failed two modules in second year,” she says.
As the sole-bread winner, her dream of a diploma came to a standstill as her salary went to support her daughter and siblings. A condition of the staff bursary is that an employee pays out of their own pocket to repeat failed modules.
Never one to sit idle, Mpumi took up another opportunity, this time to learn Sign language at Wits Plus. She learnt fast with the help of a Deaf colleague at Noswal Hall.
The students she served also inspired her endeavours. “I was motivated by students and how their growth was unfolding before my eyes. They would come in with matric, like me, and in no time leave as graduates. This really challenged me to empower myself.”
It was this that led her to register for certificates in security and protection services, completing level 3.
“Since then, I have been applying for security positions when there was an opening internally. I wasn’t successful, but I kept trying.
In October 2024 she applied once again when she spotted the adverts on the website.
“I could not believe it when I was called for an interview in December!” says Mpumi, describing the interview as “challenging.”
“I pushed myself to finish the physical exam including running around the field,” she laughs.
Since donning her uniform, Mpumi has received many congratulatory messages from former colleagues rejoicing in her achievement. Students alike scream loudly and throw themselves at her when they see her at Campus Protection Services.
She is one of six staff members who were previously under the Services Department and who passed the test to become the first defenders of the Wits community, and the University’s frontline ambassadors who welcome all visitors, be it donors, parents, policy makers or members of the public.
“During this journey I have learnt that I can do so much more if I put my mind to it,” says Mpumi, who also want to be a good role model to her kids.
The road ahead awaits.