Vukile Melane

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My name is Vukile T. Melane, age 24 years old and born in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth.  I am third child in a family of five children.  My father passed away in 1983 when I was sixteen years old. 

I attended David Vuku Lower Primary School until 1976 when I was promoted to Masangwana Higher Primary School where I completed in 1979.  In 1980 I enrolled for Form One at Ernest Skosana Secondary School during which year I was unable to sit for my end of the year exam because of school boycotts and disruptions.  The following year I had to repeat the same class which I fortunately  passed. Because of the unstable conditions prevailing then, I subsequently moved to Ithembelihle Comprehensive High School where I completed my standards 7, 8, 9.  Unfortunately, when I was doing my standard 10 in 1985, the school boycotts and disruptions started all over again and lasted for two years during which period I was unable to complete my high school education.  In 1987 I was forced to move to Colana Senior Secondary School in the Transkei where I managed to complete my matric.

Because of financial difficulties encountered by my family (my mother being the only sole supported of the family) I was—on finishing high school—again forced to look for a job.  After looking for a work for almost a year, I finally got one with Fire Stone Tyre Company in Port Elizabeth at the end of 1988 to 1990 during which period I managed to save just enough to see me through first year at university.  This year I have applied for a student loan worth R5000.00 from the Standard Bank.  However, this loan is not enough to cover all my expenses.  At present I am a second year Bachelor of Administration student at the University of Durban-Westville and hope to major in Public Administration and Industrial Psychology.  I have a great desire to continue with my studies and complete my degree in the required time if I could find financial assistance.  I hope to follow a career field in public service after completion of the degree and be a professional member of the South African Institute of Public Administration.  I hope in a few years to come I will enter public service and contribute to the improvement and welfare of our community.

In conclusion, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to USSAS for the assistance they have given me.  The grant would be spent on tuition for the academic year 1992. 

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