“I was the only kid that could not speak the language” – Interview with Nomcebo Siziba

Hello Nomcebo, can you please tell us a bit about yourself and your upbringing?

I am a 24-year-old working mom. I was born in a small town in South Africa called Greytown. Shortly after my birth, I moved to stay with my grandparents in a rural village called Nkandla, as my mom was working at that time. She did not have a job that was secure enough to keep me in town and provide for me. Finally, in 2006, my mom got a job with the government, working in correctional services. A few years later, she bought a house in Greytown, and we moved back. Today, I am living in Durban. I finished the remainder of my primary school years in Greytown and proceeded with my secondary school in the same town. After completing high school, I then proceeded to the Durban University of Technology where I got my two qualifications Diploma in Shipping Logistics (graduated with Cum laude & Deans Merit – 22 distinctions) & Advanced Diploma in Shipping and logistics.

What was your experience transitioning from a rural Zulu school to an English-speaking institution at a young age? What were some of the biggest challenges you faced?

At the time of the move, I was in third grade. It was scary but also very exciting because it was something that I have always wanted for myself. I still remember the first day as if it was yesterday. My big sister dropped me off at the school. She just left me there. And all the teachers were speaking English. So, when I started at the new school, I was probably the only kid who could not speak the language. My mother tongue is isiZulu, while most of the children had started off at an English-speaking daycare. The school teachers paired me up with an Indian scholar, who had a small understanding of isiZulu. They could translate for me in between lessons or if the teacher was saying something I did not understand. It just carried on like that for the school year. During that time, I read so many books. I would go to the school library on breaks every day. I was at the library, reading books and borrowing books to read at home. My favourites were fairy tales, like Rapunzel, Snow White, and Cinderella. I would also watch a lot of movies and cartoons in English on TV.

Juggling motherhood and professional growth can be demanding. How did you balance these responsibilities during your time as a temporary employee at Hapag-Lloyd?

I got pregnant with my child when I was doing my internship at a shipping agency, and I gave birth in 2022. My contract had expired recently, so I was not working at that time. A few weeks down the line, I got a call from Hapag-Lloyd. They wanted to get to know me. The interview went very well, and they told me they were giving me two weeks to prepare. So, I thought, “What am I going to do with the baby?” She was so young, and I was confused about what I wanted to do. The final decision was to move the baby back home to Greytown, where my mother and her sisters are. During my first three months at Hapag-Lloyd, the baby was at home with my aunt, and I would visit them over the weekends. But that was just too much for me, because I would be stressing out, wanting to know how the baby was. I was so anxious all week, just waiting for when I got to see her. After three months, I made the decision to bring the baby back home to stay with me. Luckily, I had a friend who was not working, and they were willing to move in with me and help me look after my daughter. That worked out well because they were also supporting me emotionally. I was glad to have somebody there with me because I was all alone in Durban. To add on, my colleagues, especially my manager Amelia, was very supportive of all my endeavours, whilst being a temporary worker she would still allow me to take off time for my exams and for baby’s check-ups. I will forever be grateful for her support.