Profile

Mthokozisi Dladla was born and bred in KwaMnyandu, a rural area outside of Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal. Growing-up in impoverished circumstances he discovered that education key and   can uplift his community. “Philanthropy mixed with innovation defines what I want to achieve”.

Mthokozisi passed Matric with certificates of merit with four distinctions, which would guarantee him a place in the University of KwaZulu Natal to graduate with a Bachelor of Social Science Degree Majoring in Media, Communications and Business Management.

His qualifications developed his interest for the technological aspects of communications and media in local communities. Mthokozisi’s goal is to develop a communications technology that will enable people from the rural areas to access information from the internet without smartphones and computers, using SMS enabled cellphones.

He is currently working as an intern at the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA).The internship programme has enabled him to cover science related stories in order to inform the communities of UMgungundlovu District Municipality where he works for a UMgungundlovu Community Radio (107.6FM).

Mthokozisi is focusing on water quality technology called the Wastewater Risk Abatement Plan and the Water Safety Plan. He also assists in news reading at the station.

He believes that science is vital for the future of South Africa and he is documenting it as a science journalist.