Podcast episode: Adulthood is Knocking

• Nonhlanhla Mashabana is in her final year of high school. She wants to go to university, but the odds are stacked against her. Only 12 out of every 100 students who start Grade 1 in South Africa will get into university, and only four will graduate with a degree (Youth Capital).
• Nonhlanhla recorded audio diaries to document her journey as a South African student, navigating a broken and unequal education system.
• This is episode two of a series from Radio Workshop that explores the transition to higher education in South Africa. Episode One, Finding the Right Words, was released in 2024.

When Radio Workshop released Finding the Right Words last year, we met 17-year-old Nonhlanhla Mashabana, a national spelling bee champion from Emalahleni, South Africa. Nonhlanhla told us the dictionary was her secret weapon. Learning new words helped her cope with stress, and spelling bees provided her with an outlet. However, despite winning numerous competitions, when she reached her final year of high school, Nonhlanhla’s teachers advised her to give up spelling bees to focus on her academic performance.

“I have to take things one at a time and have patience. Strength of purpose. Tenacity.”

Nonhlanhla studies for hours on end so that she can pass matric—the final year of high school in South Africa—and get accepted into university. But she has something else to look forward to: the matric dance. For many, this is the highlight of the year. Nonhlanhla shines on the special night of her dance, but she struggles to stay in the moment because it’s a reminder that the clock is ticking.

“My body was in the venue celebrating with everyone, but my mind… I couldn’t stop thinking about finals, like, 11 days before finals, 11 days before finals.”

Nonhlanhla is a youth reporter from Emalahleni FM, one of Radio Workshop’s community radio station partners. Radio Workshop provides the tools and teaches the skills, and youth reporters like Nonhlanhla bring their creativity, experience, and passion for tackling the issues that matter to them and their communities. Radio Workshop’s documentary-style podcast has won numerous awards, and Finding the Right Words was a finalist at the New York Festivals in 2024.

According to Radio Workshop’s Editorial Director, Lesedi Mogoatlhe, “South African students like Nonhlanhla are not just excelling, they’re showing us where our education system falls short. Their grit and tenacity should inspire us to ask for more from higher education systems, especially if we want equitable opportunities for students in the future.”

The data on higher education in South Africa paints a troubling picture of systemic challenges and unequal access. According to Youth Capital, only four out of 100 students who enrol in primary school will graduate with a university degree. That’s not because students won’t qualify, but because universities in South Africa are not equipped to handle the number of students who want to attend. As you can imagine, it’s extremely competitive.

“My worry now is whether I’m doing enough to actually be counted with the best. Probably, someone out there is even working harder than what I think I’m doing now.”

Nonhlanhla puts hours into her studies. Her peers elected her as class president. Overall, she’s an exceptional student. But even for her, university entrance is not guaranteed. An added stress is that Nonhlanhla will need a scholarship. It’s not just the tuition that’s an expense. She needs money for a place to stay, books, travel, and meals. It’s expensive, and her parents are not in a position to pay.

“I’ve been searching for bursaries on the internet over and over again. I just can’t find legit bursaries.”

Assuming she gets in, Nonhlanhla will be the first in her family to go to university. She applied to many institutions to pursue various degrees, ranging from nursing to engineering to education. Nonhlanhla wants to ensure that she keeps all her options open, as a university degree is crucial for finding a job. And with youth unemployment rates at 46%, Nonhlanhla wants to do everything she can to ensure she doesn’t become part of this statistic.

“You fear that if you don’t go to university, you’re gonna be stuck for the rest of your life.”

Listen to Adulthood is Knocking to find out what happens to Nonhlanhla as she experiences the highs and lows of her matric year.

This episode and the work of Radio Workshop would not have been possible without the support of Luminate, the Constitutionalism Fund, the Shin Creek Trust, the Ann Levy Charitable Trust, the SCP Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Pam and Bill Michaelcheck.

Thank you to Hindenburg for supporting our work by providing audio editing software. To find out more about Radio Workshop, visit radioworkshop.org or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.