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Today, the 32-year-old Dumile, who was born and raised in Itsoseng about 40 km from Mahikeng, holds the position of public relations manager at the South African Medical Research Council’s headquarters in Cape Town.
But what's passion without practice? In part, Dumile attributes his success to The Album, the campus newspaper at the NWU's Mahikeng Campus where he completed his BA and BAHons in communication.
As a student he volunteered as a journalist and later copy editor for The Album which was widely read by students and staff and the Mahikeng community at large.
"I will forever be grateful for the opportunity granted to me by The Album to polish my writing – a much-needed skill in this profession," he says.
Experience is invaluable
He emphasises the importance of voluntary work while studying, explaining that the experience and reference are invaluable when setting out on a new career.
"Other than a good academic record, co-curricular experience is essential in bolstering a well-rounded graduate ready to hit the ground running in the corporate world," he adds.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree, he was recruited by the North West Provincial Department of Human Settlements to complete a one-year internship programme where he was mostly involved in speechwriting, content development and research.
Learning the ropes
In 2012 he was back at his alma mater, this time wearing a different cap as a contract communication officer.
In 2015 the NWU’s Vanderbijlpark Campus recruited him permanently in the same capacity, after which Dumile took up the position of marketing and communication coordinator at Stellenbosch University (SU) in late 2017.
Here he was assigned to the university's equality unit where he played an instrumental role in positioning the unit as a one-stop shop for all incidents of unfair discrimination, harassment, victimisation and HIV-related matters across the university.
During his time at SU he continued learning the ropes of corporate communication within the higher education sector, while also sharpening his grasp of social justice advocacy and policy.
“While I have always been passionate about my work as a communication professional, I found that I could also help vulnerable people by sharing their views and problems with policy makers,” says Dumile.
Campus newspaper imprinted on his path to success
When Dumile Mlambo first discovered his passion for creative writing and public speaking back in high school, little did he know that he'd one day be one of the trailblazers in the public relations sphere.
Dumile Mlambo wears many hats: family man, communications professional and enabler, and if all goes to plan he will soon be adding master’s student to the list. He is married to his varsity sweetheart, Lerato.
Always on the go
When Dumile Mlambo is not building the South African Medical Research Council’s reputation through outreach programmes, issuing press releases or attending to media enquiries, this father of two playful boys is on the airwaves empowering young people.
He is often invited to take part in the youth programmes of different national and local radio stations to speak on various topics, including social media.
He shares his insights on cybersecurity and cyberbullying, and how to use social media as a personal branding platform and a marketing and advertising tool for emerging entrepreneurs.
He also does a great deal of transcription, back translation (English/Setswana), editing and proofreading work on a freelance basis.
Dumile’s future plans include acquiring an MA in communication which he says is long overdue, and formalising his consulting work by registering a firm.
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