“2024 was a revelation for me” Queen of rallies

When Thembeka Dliwako from Haniville in Pietermaritzburg finished her exams at Mnambithi TVET College this week, she already knew that the holidays were going to be a busy time for her.

Dliwako has several gigs lined up as a programme director and as guest speaker.Yet, at the beginning of the year none of this would have been foretold.It all began when the Pietermaritzburg township girl joined her peers to an Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) rally at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

She indicated that aside from the entertainment value she had derived from the gatherings, she also came to understand what each of the political parties stood for ahead of the May 29 elections.

Since the elections have come and gone the demand for her services continues and she has appeared as a guest at music concerts, fashion shows and other entertainment gatherings.

“Some local designers have asked me to be the brand ambassador for their products and this week there is an event in which I will be an MC. Such has been the state of my life in recent months. That is why I am grateful for 2024,” she added.One of the lessons she had learned was the importance of resilience and remaining focused to one’s dream. She said she had failed one of the subjects at N4 level at the institution where she was studying.

“I was quite disappointed with failing, but then decided that this would not put me down and today here I am still standing. So, for me this what all of us should remember that one failure does not define who you are,” Dliwako said.

She indicated that given the lessons learned from the 2024 elections, she was looking forward to seeing how political parties would sell themselves to the public ahead of the 2026 local government elections.