As the daughter of a third wife and one of 21 children, it wasn’t always easy for Phumelele Mthembu to be seen or heard. Her life took a turn when she was chosen to be raised by a couple who had no children of their own. In that quieter space, something shifted; she began to see herself differently. She started to dream.
Today, she is the founder of Phumelele Mthembu & Associates Consulting Dietitians, a practice built on healing, purpose, and the belief that every child deserves the chance to become more than their circumstances.
A new way of life
Mthembu, the daughter of Ntombemhlophe and Msawenkosi Buthelezi, never imagined she’d become a dietitian. Growing up in a rural part of Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal, with little exposure to career options, she didn’t know what was possible for someone like her.
“I honestly had no idea what I’d become,” she admits.
It was her then-boyfriend, now husband, Bukhosibakhe Mthembu, who chose dietetics for her, a decision that ended up changing her life.
When she was 12 years old, Mthembu found a home with Catherine and Griffith Ndlovu, who brought her up to be the independent, focused woman she is today.
It was a quiet shift that changed the course of her life. “Moving into a new environment woke something in me,” she says.
For the first time, she felt seen. That new space gave her room to breathe, to dream, and to believe that her voice mattered.
“From grade 8 to matric, I was always in the top three. Before that, I never thought I was smart; that shift was powerful.”
Phumelele Mthembu
That change in Mthembu’s environment didn’t just open her eyes to education, it opened her heart too. However, after matric, she felt lost. No one in her family had ever been to university.
“I didn’t know where to start. Bukhosibakhe helped me apply and even paid the application fees,” she says.
She was accepted to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in Pietermaritzburg, and NSFAS came through just in time. At first, she thought dietetics would be simple. “I mean, it’s about food, right?” she laughs.
“But I was so wrong. I should’ve known, a BSc degree is no pap and vleis.”
READ NEXT: Family values inspire dietitian’s mission for a healthier Mzansi
The learning curve was steep. It took her five years to finish what was meant to be a three-year degree, and in the middle of it all, she found out she was pregnant during her first year.
“But I kept going. Slowly, I started building a life that made sense to me, one that felt mine.”
Pushed by purpose
Falling pregnant while studying was one of the toughest moments for Mthembu. “The stares I got when I walked into the dining hall or attended classes were unbearable,” she recalls.
Once the baby was born, she and her then-boyfriend, now husband, arranged for a crèche. However, after two or three months, her husband arranged for their daughter to stay with his mother. “It was actually recommended by my faculty so I could focus during exam season.”
Her daughter became her biggest motivation. “She needed me to finish. I had to get that degree, earn an income, and build a better life for us.”
And her husband has been a rock. “He’s been my number one cheerleader from the very beginning.”
She graduated from UKZN in 1997, and again the following year with a postgraduate qualification.
READ NEXT: Shaping smiles: How a mother inspired a pioneering periodontist
Helping others, in honour of her mother
Mthembu runs a private practice in Durban, based at Durdoc Centre and St Augustine’s Hospital. Her focus is on helping adults living with chronic conditions manage their symptoms and prevent complications through personalised nutrition plans and practical support.
“I also offer telehealth sessions for clients who love what I do but are either too far away or just pressed for time,” she says.
One of her latest projects is an online course titled “A healthier you: 30 days to type 2 diabetes prevention”. It’s part of a broader effort to create more awareness about lifestyle-related chronic conditions, especially diabetes.
“I host monthly webinars too,” she adds. “They’re all in honour of my mother, who passed away from diabetes and heart complications.”
Mthembu shares that her mother developed gangrene and refused amputation. A few months later, she passed away. “It’s something that never leaves you, and it’s why this work means so much to me.”
Her expertise has led her into other spaces. She consults for law firms on medical negligence cases, runs onsite nutrition programmes for corporate wellness, and even develops catering tenders for small businesses working with the department of health and social development.
Her career began at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital as a clinical dietitian, eventually becoming head of the department.
“When I started, I’d see just two patients every other day. By the time I left, I was seeing at least 15 to 20 daily.”
“What’s beautiful about dietetics is that you can work in so many different areas. I’ve been lucky to explore a lot of them over the past 26 years, from public hospitals to private practice, and I’ve witnessed how much a healthy lifestyle can change a person’s life.”
Fight against lifestyle diseases
Mthembu tells Health For Mzansi that around 70% of the patients she sees monthly are living with one or more chronic lifestyle conditions, or dealing with their complications.
She explains that dietitians also play a vital role in feeding patients who are on ventilators or in comas, regardless of the cause.
“We determine what and how much to feed through enteral nutrition via the nose into the stomach, or total parenteral nutrition through a vein.”
Her mission is to reach one million lives in five years, raising awareness around the prevention of lifestyle diseases, especially diabetes.
“My message is simple: eat well so you don’t become part of the statistics.”
“In my line of work, I’ve seen that many people, especially black South Africans still don’t connect what they eat with the chronic conditions they face.”
She points out that even some cancers are nutrition-related.“The rise in processed foods like cereals, viennas, and genetically modified products, plus unnecessary sugars added for shelf life or texture, all play a role.”
For Mthembu, balance is key. Her anchor is in the small rituals that lift her mood.
“Every day, I release good hormones – endorphins – through music, silent meditation, and prayer,” she shares.
She credits her family for understanding her and giving her the space to grow.
“A strong support system is everything. So much more can bloom in people’s lives when they have that.”
ALSO READ: This dietitian is living the dream through her passion
Get the Health For Mzansi newsletter: Your bi-weekly dose of kasi health, wellness and self-care inspiration.
