Jobless PhD grad scores post from Mayor De Lille
De Lille brings unemployed PhD graduate into fold at the City
LUKHANYO Mekuto will be starting his first day at work today, and it’s thanks to mayor Patricia de Lille who gave him an internship. Yesterday, the Cape Argus published Mekuto’s plight. Instead of celebrating his achievement as the youngest PhD engineering graduate of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, he was left frustrated by not being able to get a job.
Then he received a call which changed his life. “I was moved when I saw the newspaper on my way to work,” De Lille said.
She said she was curious to know which areas of study Mekuto was interested in and where she could help.
At a special meeting in her office which the mayor had requested with Mekuto yesterday, De Lille gave him a job. “I think you are in the right place at the right time. You can start with us as an intern tomorrow (today) while we look for available positions for you. You can also shadow people in the water department,” De Lille said.
De Lille asked Mekuto about his interests and where he wanted to be placed, to which he answered his interest was in wastewater treatment, which is what his PhD thesis was about.
De Lille said the City was trying to find solutions to the drought as it could no longer rely on rainfall. “We are looking right now at wastewater,” De Lille added.
The City’s Transport and Urban Development commissioner Melissa Whitehead said that bringing Mekuto on board would help the City.
“There are groundwater issues and we would like you to help advise us on that,” Whitehead said.
Mekuto said after receiving an award from the National Research Foundation (NRF) for next generation research he felt inspired to carry on with academia but found it difficult to find a placement because of his age.
He wanted to obtain a P-level rating from the NRF, but to achieve this he needed to contribute to society and assist with research. De Lille said she would ensure Mekuto would be able to achieve both. “We will allow you the time to further your goal to contribute to society.”
Mekuto said: “Wow this was unexpected, thank you very much.”