Browsing: Margaret Mudzuli

She began her nursing training in 1970, but had to leave because classes were taught only in Afrikaans. She restarted her nursing journey at Siloam in 1978, qualified as a nurse, and later completed her midwifery training at Donald Fraser Hospital. Even after retiring in 2015, she continues to work as a nurse and stays active in church and community health projects. For Margaret Mudzuli of Limpopo, nursing has never been just a job. It’s a calling that began in her childhood and continues long after retirement. Born with a desire to help others, especially children, Mudzuli says she knew from her earliest school years that she wanted to work in healthcare. Although she first dreamed of becoming a doctor, nursing became the path through which she could fulfil her purpose. “Since Sub A, I always wanted to help people, especially children,” she recalls. “Whenever I was asked what I wanted to become, I would say I wanted to be a nurse.” A difficult beginning In 1970, after completing Form 3 at Tondalushaka High School, Mudzuli went to Tshilidzini Hospital after writing her examinations and was accepted for auxiliary nursing training. What should have been the start of her career quickly became a setback. The training was conducted strictly in Afrikaans, a language she wasn’t confident in at the time. “I had to abandon the training because everything was in Afrikaans, and I struggled with the language,” she says. She returned home and later turned to teaching, working at Mahagala Primary School. But the dream of nursing never left her. Starting again at Siloam In 1978, Mudzuli made the courageous decision to start again. She enrolled in nursing training at Siloam Hospital, determined not to let her earlier disappointment define her future. Her perseverance paid off. She completed her training and started working in 1981 as a staff nurse. That same year, she was posted to Sterkstroom Clinic in Malavuwe. The following year, she returned to training, this time at Donald Fraser Hospital, where she specialised in midwifery. “I started afresh, and by then I was already a staff nurse,” she says. “In 1982, I went for midwifery training at Donald Fraser.” She completed the programme in 1984 and qualified as a professional nurse and midwife. She remembers the transition in nursing uniforms with pride, noting that earlier uniforms were white, while the new green uniform marked her advancement. More than three decades of service Mudzuli served in several clinics across Limpopo in a career spanning more than three decades. She worked at Sterkstroom Clinic from 1982 to 1986, Mukula Clinic from 1986 to 1996, and returned to Sterkstroom Clinic from 1996 to 2004. Later, she served at Damani Clinic from 2004 to 2005 and at Vhufuli Tshitereke Clinic from 2005 until her retirement in 2015, working both as an enrolled nurse and a midwife. Her work placed her at the centre of maternal and primary healthcare in rural communities, where nurses are often the first and most trusted point of medical contact. Over the years, she also completed several short courses: drug supply management through the Medunsa School of Pharmacy in 1997, HIV/AIDS counselling in 2000, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses in 2003, TB management in 2004, cancer support through CANSA in 2015, and palliative care training through the University of Virginia in 2017. Retirement did not end the calling Mudzuli retired from public service in April 2015. Yet stepping away from government work did not end her commitment to caring for others. “The desire to help others called to me again,” she says with a smile. She continues to work as a nurse at a pharmacy near Sibasa, where she still helps patients and remains involved in healthcare every day. Serving beyond the clinic Her contributions extend far beyond nursing. Mudzuli has served as chairperson of interchurches in her area, church warden at St Philip Chapel Anglican Church in Tshivhilwi, and as an additional committee member of the Mothers’ Union. She has also participated in health and care committees, and leads palliative care counselling for chronic patients and elderly people. In 2013, she founded the Bono Lashu Sewing Project, creating another avenue for community support and empowerment. She also started the Tshivhilwi Community Rehabilitation Centre, which cares for elderly people in the rural community. A life defined by compassion Looking back, Mudzuli’s journey is marked not by the setback that forced her to leave nursing training in 1970, but by the determination that brought her back eight years later. She taught children, trained twice, delivered babies, cared for the sick, counselled families, and still serves her community even after retirement. Her story is one of resilience, faith, and service. It is a reminder that for some, the desire to care for others doesn’t end with a job title or retirement date. It becomes a lifelong vocation. Even after retiring in 2015, Margaret Mudzuli continues caring for patients near Sibasa and remains active in church and community health work. Conviction.co.za Get your news on the go. Click here to follow the Conviction WhatsApp channel.

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Browsing: Margaret Mudzuli