From factory worker to law graduate: Ngcobo refuses to give up - IOL

Lungelo Ngcobo completed his LLB at UKZN and hopes to use the law to support vulnerable communities.

After years of unemployment, factory work and interrupted studies, Lungelo Ngcobo has graduated with an LLB from UKZN and hopes to use the law to support vulnerable communities.

For the 29-year-old from eGobhogobho in Bulwer, his graduation ceremony represented far more than the completion of a university qualification.

It was the culmination of years of perseverance and sacrifice, during which he repeatedly had to put his legal ambitions on hold to earn enough money to return to university.

Ngcobo enrolled at UKZN in the second semester of 2016, but his journey towards his Bachelor of Laws degree was interrupted in 2021 when he lost his National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding.

Unable to settle his outstanding fees, he could not register for his final year.

For the next two years, Ngcobo was unemployed while actively looking for work.

In 2023, he finally secured employment as a general worker at a factory. Rather than abandoning his studies, he spent the year working and saving money with the goal of returning to university.

He returned to UKZN in 2024 determined to finish what he had started. However, financial difficulties once again stood in his way.

With only one module remaining to complete his degree, he was forced to return home after being unable to afford his registration and study fees.

His university journey took another detour in 2025 when he was selected to work on the R617 Road Rehabilitation Project connecting Bulwer and Underberg.

He worked throughout the year before applying for readmission to UKZN in 2026.

This time, he completed his final module after the first semester, bringing a decade-long journey to an end.

Ngcobo said poverty had been one of the biggest obstacles he had faced, but he refused to allow his circumstances to determine his future.

“I was born poor, and when you come from a disadvantaged background, you want to do everything in your power to change your circumstances and create a better future for your family,” he said.

His mother was another source of motivation.

“Every time I looked at my mother, I wanted to make her proud of what I had become and of the person I was striving to be, and that is what kept me going.”

Lungelo Ngcobo working at the Road Rehabilitation Project.

Today, Ngcobo works at a legal office, where he is gaining practical experience as he takes the next steps towards his ultimate goal of becoming an admitted legal practitioner.

His own experiences as a general worker have shaped the kind of lawyer he hopes to become.

He wants to use his legal knowledge to advocate for the protection and empowerment of women, children and vulnerable workers, while helping ordinary people understand and exercise their legal rights.

“Having faced my own challenges as a general worker, I have developed a deep appreciation for the struggles many ordinary people experience every day.

“I hope to contribute to greater awareness of legal rights, improve access to justice, and empower communities through the law,” he said.

For Ngcobo, finally walking across the graduation stage was also an opportunity to celebrate with the people who stood beside him during his most difficult years.

He attended the ceremony with his mother and sisters, whom he described as his biggest supporters.

He also expressed gratitude to friends and acquaintances who helped him along the way, including some former classmates from his earlier years at UKZN.

“Some of these people are individuals with whom I once shared a classroom with during my earlier years at UKZN, and they came to my rescue when I needed them the most,” he said.

Looking back on the decade-long journey, Ngcobo said one of his biggest lessons was that setbacks did not have to signal the end of a dream.

“There will be times when life forces you to take a different path from the one you had planned, and at times you may feel discouraged or even want to give up.

“What is important is to keep moving forward, no matter how small the steps may seem,” he said.

Now that he has his LLB degree in hand, Ngcobo hopes his story will encourage others who may be struggling to achieve their own goals.

“Have faith in your dreams, be willing to work hard, and do not be ashamed to start over if you have to.

“Seek support from people who genuinely want to see you succeed, and never stop believing in your ability to achieve your goals,” he said.