PERSONALITY COMPLIANCY PROFILE
In conversation with… Dr Mahlogonolo Thobane Dr Mahlogonolo Thobane is the Senior Lecturer in the Department of Criminology and Security Science at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the first Black President of the Criminological Society of Africa (CRIMSA).
B
orn in the village of GaNkidikitlane in Mokopane, Limpopo Province in South Africa, Mahlogonolo moved to Mpumalanga Province when she was four years old. The only child of a young teenage mother, her maternal grandmother then opened her home to the little girl, where she lived until the age of thirteen. By then, her mother had established herself in Soshanguve, a township to the north of Gauteng, so the now-teenaged Mahlogonolo was able to join her. Warm, open and inspiring, Mahlogonolo shares her personal and career journey here: The early years I remember sitting around the fire with my cousins and listening to my grandmother telling us many beautiful tales. My grandmother, Mantwa Stephina Kwadi-Lepemole, from whom I got my middle name, was and is still one of my favourite human beings. Being raised by her, such a powerful woman, is one of my fondest childhood memories. I was born to a teenage mother, Dikeledi Molewa nee Kwadi, whose boyfriend rejected me before I was born. However, my mother got married in 2007 to a lovely man, Elvis Molewa, who has been nothing short of amazing to me as a father.
The road to success After matriculating from Hillview High School in Mayville, north of Pretoria in 2002, Mahlogonolo enrolled for a Bachelor of Social Science degree at the University of Pretoria. “I’d always wanted to become a clinical psychologist, but then criminology found me! After obtaining my undergraduate qualification I went on to study my Honours Degree in Criminology fulltime at the University of Pretoria.” Her first job was as a post-graduate research assistant at the-then Department of Security Risk Management at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Next, she was employed by ABSA Bank, in its Group Risk Division, Department of Security, where she spent three years before returning to UNISA. From 2012, she worked her way up, through the ‘varsity to her current position, that of Senior Lecturer at UNISA. Mahlogonolo is also a Research Consultant at the University of Cape Town’s Gender and Health Justice Research Unit, and the founder and CEO/ Managing Director of non-profit organisation Mu Duka (212-833 NPO), which means “We are together” or “Re kaofela” in the Hausa language. “The central focus of this organisation is to encourage the nation, regardless of age, gender, race and cultural background, to stand united against
gender-based violence. Mu Duka further promotes holistic and intersectoral approaches (involving various government departments, the private sector and non-government organisations) to prevent the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa. Mu Duka also reminds victims of gender-based violence that they are not alone.” To this end, Mu Duka’s objectives are as follows: • To improve and generate knowledge on issues relating to gender-based violence through community engagement, advocacy and research output; • To improve support offered to victims of gender violence and prevent secondary victimisation through engagement with community support organisations and continued engagement with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and processes used to handle cases of victims of genderbased violence;
I dream of a South Africa where women, children and other vulnerable groups are safe and no longer victims of heinous crimes. 26
SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA JUNE 2021
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