Johannesburg - Dr. Bhaso Ndzendze, 25, may have been announced as one of the youngest Political Science Head Of Departments (HODs) in South Africa, but he insists that his path has not been without challenges.
“I think success is never attained and so far, I would say my journey has been helped by a combination of factors including a resolute commitment to the career path I wanted and taking steps every single day to ensure that I achieve my objectives,” he told The Saturday Star this week.
“The academic field is filled with a lot of challenges that one has to push through so you always have to constantly find ways to be inspired and never complain.”
Dr. Ndzendze, who was named the HOD within the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) this month, dreamt of a career in this field since he was a young boy.
And for the esteemed academic, the politics world was one that he felt he was unable to avoid.
“Looking back I think this has been years in the making, as I have always intended on an academic career. I think my field is at the centre of everything, nothing escapes politics and everything is political so when it is done very well, political science can reveal quite a lot and present new solutions to problems.”
While he also had a lifelong love for history, he felt that political science was “a good way to give life to the past by understanding its implications for the present but also a good way to write first drafts of history based on the developments of our own time.”
“It is no different to working in a lab in this sense and my specialty is international politics, so I also have the opportunity to study phenomena on a continental and global scale.”
While he always had a passion for all things politics, in order to reach his desired heights in this field, Dr. Bhaso Ndzendze also has to change and master his lifestyle.
This includes waking up at the crack of dawn, early nights, very little down time, managing his strenuous workload and constant communication with his students and colleagues.
“I sleep quite early, so I usually start off between 3:30 and 4:30 in the morning with some important research of my own. This is my anchor as it allows me to work in solitude and to do some thoughtful research for about 4 or 5 hours in the morning.”
Dr.Ndzendze, who is also currently working on a book on artificial intelligence and international relations theories, works on this content as well as research papers until about 8.30am, when he then heads to UJ and begins his lecturing, supervision and now administrative duties.
“This will usually last until 5pm or 6pm in the evening and entails mainly correspondence, meetings and management of the day-to-day business of the department. Evenings are to review the previous day and plan priorities for the next day.”
But UJ’s political science HOD insists that he maintains a healthy work-life balance and that he spends his free time unwinding and enjoying the things he loves.
“I like visiting museums and bookshops, enjoying a good lunch with colleagues or friends, writing opinion articles and reading history.”
Dr. Ndzendze’s literature of choice is political biographies, particularly the biographies of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, British Prime Minister William Pitt and American President Lyndon Johnson.
“They all moved their societies forward in important ways and in different historical eras.”
While Dr. Ndzendze described his recent appointment as a “humbling experience,” he believes that now is not the time to stop working hard.
“You do not just want to stare at your appointment letter or your new business card and admire it for three years so I have an immense sense of responsibility with this role, both to advance opportunity for our students and academics and researchers, as well as to demonstrate the capabilities of my generation when entrusted with duty at this level.”
He loves working in academia but admits that it is not without its challenges.
“It is a very demanding area, filled with many challenges and rejections along the way that can shake your self-confidence, especially when you’re first getting started.
“The key is finding healthy ways to channel your energy when things don’t go your way and to learn from it and keep going. It eventually gets easier, and you eventually get better.”
The political science HOD is also aware of the devastating unemployment rate in South Africa and said that the current socio-economic context is often regarded as very bleak at best, especially around youth unemployment and lack of upward mobility.
“This is evident to me both as a political scientist and as a citizen of South Africa.”
But during this youth month, he encouraged the nation’s youngsters to keep going, even when times are tough.
“A phrase from a psychology book that I encountered some years ago still resonates with me and I think it is useful advice regardless of what stage of life one is in and what career they want to go into. It says you should treat yourself like someone you are trying to help and it’s a reminder to be kind to yourself.
“This is also a reminder to be focused and work on yourself every single day like a special project and if you stay on the path, things will eventually break your way.”