A bureaucrat with a melodious voice
EDUCATOR A GOSPEL ARTIST
ZANELE Mthembu is not your average bureaucrat – the Department of Education’s Gauteng North district chief director is also a gospel music star.
Mthembu unleashed her melodious voice on an appreciative crowd at the launch of her gospel album Ngiyabonga at Gold Reef City on Saturday.
The album, which she started working on in February last year, has nine tracks. Mthembu wrote eight of the songs while her producer, Mpumi Dhlamini, penned one track.
Mthembu, 55, says she has always been passionate about singing.
“When I am doing something, I will hear a song in my head and will quickly grab a pen and paper and write it down, ” Mthembu says.
On Tuesday and Friday evenings she trains a church choir.
Mthembu, who holds an honours degree in English literature, says although her work keeps her very busy, she dedicates most of her weekends to writing songs, but still manages to spend time with her 21-year-old daughter.
To prepare for the album, Mthembu attended regular voice-training lessons on Saturday mornings.
“I had to put in a lot of voice training so as to be ready for my album because my voice had lots of vibrations, but it is gratifying to be an artist.
“A music career is an exciting but unknown path. I love my current job because it fulfils me,” she says.
Mthembu adds that the distinction between being an administrator and singing is that with the former, the environment is highly regulated and predictable, while in music it was “a lot more relaxed”.
“In education I have to be familiar with programmes and how to work through them. If there are challenges I can always consult my colleagues, whereas in music you are pretty much on your own.
“But music has given me an opportunity to work with young people and appreciate the amount of work that goes into producing an album,” says Mthembu, who started her teaching career in 1982.
She became a principal in 1989 and was promoted to crisis manager at the education department’s district office in 1995. In 1999, she was appointed deputy director and finally chief director for the Johannesburg district in 2001.
Mthembu has written books for the foundation phase in Zulu. She has also written books on economics and management sciences and developed board games for pupils.
Yet none of this seems to have impacted on her work because last year her district achieved an 87% matric pass rate. She also oversees five district directors in the Tshwane region.
“The results are as a result of team effort with other directors, principals, teachers and children. We all try and work together to implement the department’s programmes,” she says.
Gauteng department of education spokesperson Charles Phahlane said the performance of Mthembu’s district has proven that being an artist has not interfered with her work.