Networking Programmes Administrator: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies (Plaas), University of the Western Cape
When researchers reveal stunning new facts during impressive presentations, most people give little thought to the organisers, without whom there would be no such events. Lulekwa’s job proves that, behind every successful workshop, there is a dedicated and efficient administrator.
‘I love the variety of my job, because it is definitely not routine,” she says. ‘Each day brings new and different challenges, and every day I learn something new.” Her name often causes confusion, she laughs. ‘When overseas people e-mail me, they automatically assume I am a male. I find that rather funny.”
As a South African woman, her upbringing has attuned her to the cultural differences between people and she tries to remain sensitive to diverse cultures. ‘I think women have a natural intuition when it comes to these things,” she smiles.
Although her main interests are in policy development and political science, she has developed a keen interest in environmental issues while working for Plaas. ‘It’s a field I never paid much attention to in the past, but I realise every day how important it is to care about the environment.”