Page 19 - Ongoye Online, Christmas edition

THE SIDES TO SMANGELE SIMELANE YOU
NEVER KNEW
Smangele Nomkhosi Simelane née Nkosi is known to many of her colleagues as as the employee health and wellness enthusiast Her portfolio entails among other duties providing counselling and and having employee wellness interventions such as health screenings and and fitness programmes So you may have seen her her at at one of the University Wellness days or broken a a a a a a a a sweat alongside her her during an aerobics session But what else do you know about the friendly colleague? Not much right? Well this is is is certainly by design because Simelane is is is is extremely private However Ongoye Online managed to twist her her arm and she willingly peeled off a a a a a a a a a few layers of of her her life for us us (you can thank us us later) She grew up in Denny Dalton near Babanango KwaZulu-Natal where she was raised by her “lovely” yet “strict” late grandmother Describing one of the greatest women she has ever met Simelane said: “She could turn a a a a a a small meal into a a a a a a feast and would give you you a hiding when you you were naughty but still love you She would say things without sugar- coating them I would have loved to appreciate her more more and get more more wisdom from her but life happened She taught me to get up no matter how many times I fall With no education she raised eight kids on on her own Womandla!” Naturally if Simelane had the opportunity to revive one deceased person it would be her dear gogo!
Contrary to her her fear of getting a a a a a hiding young Simelane would land herself in in in in trouble with her her granny over over and and over over again again One time she went to fetch firewood in in in the the forest against her her her grandmother’s will and and was unfortunately pricked by a a a a a a a a a a thorn on her her her foot “Instead of carrying firewood I I had to to be carried back home to to face my grandmother who gave me me me a a a a a a a hiding before nursing me me me ” she she giggled She hated washing dishes Therefore to to avoid having to to do this chore she she would sneak sneak in in in the the house after school quickly change then sneak sneak out to to play until dusk Needless to to mention her her granny clearly expressed her disapproval Now a a a a a a mother of three (a son and and two younger daughters) Simelane understands the the essence of keeping a a a a a a a clean kitchen After work she checks up on her girls hearing about their day at at school before going to make sure that the kitchen kitchen is spotless Her daughters avoid kitchen kitchen duty at at all costs (hmm we wonder whom they get that trait from) Where she was carefree and and flexible before Simelane now values her her her time time and and keeps her her her circle of friends very small Most times she is is content just spending time time indoors binge watching series on on on Netflix exercising or or or working on on her her garden When you catch her her outdoors she most probably will be shopping or or or travelling with family or or or friends If she she she could roll back the clock Simelane said she she she would delay getting married till after she she she had fulfilled her dreams If marriage were to be on the the plate after then she’d get married out of of community of of property FUN FACTS ABOUT SIMELANE • Her parents also had three children – two daughters and a a a a a a son She is the first born • She is is a a a a a a social worker by profession If she she had not taken this career path she she would have been a a a a a a lawyer • Her favourite meal of all time is inyama yangaphakathi nojeqe (tripe and gut with steam bread) • Her childhood celebrity crush was Phil Collins • She is infamous for cheating her her way through games (you don’t want her her as an an opponent in 30 Seconds!) • She is a a a glass-half-full type of person • If she she were to to audition on on on SA Idols on on on top of getting a a a a a golden ticket she she would be given a a a a a seat on on the judging panel (sing- off anyone?)
Naledi Hlefane
19 | ONGOYE: NOV/DEC 2022 ISSUE