Vanessa Mahlangu from Tweefontein in Mpumalanga had all the makings of an engineer, while her family’s sights were set on pharmacy for her. But Mahlangu had always been the shoulder everyone leaned on, the fixer, the healer. Nursing wasn’t just a choice; it was a calling that found her.
She knew from a young age that her path wasn’t about machines or medicine shelves – it was about caring for people.
Raised by a single mother who worked as a domestic worker, Mahlangu says the void of losing her father as a toddler wasn’t that loud. Her mother, Johannah, ensured all her needs, especially school-related ones, were met.
Mahlangu describes her relationship with her mother as one rooted in mutual understanding – supporting her choices and prioritising happiness over wealth.
Breaking expectations
“She has always encouraged me to choose a career that I love more than money because waking up to something I don’t enjoy just for money would leave me miserable for the rest of my life,” she says.
After matric, Mahlangu enrolled at the Tshwane University of Technology and graduated with a BTech in nursing in 2019. She completed her community service in Limpopo at Dilokong Hospital, where interacting with patients deepened her passion for her chosen path.
“The most challenging part was convincing people and my family that I wanted to be a nurse, not a pharmacist,” she explains. “I remember how often they warned me about working weekends and holidays.”
The importance of mental health
Mahlangu says she has learnt that many people neglect their mental health, and this neglect contributes to various health conditions, particularly among patients treated at the primary healthcare level.
She adds that some people in rural areas face many challenges, mainly due to a lack of knowledge about health issues, which requires more understanding to address.
“It’s okay to feel stressed and overwhelmed but seek help when these feelings overpower you.”
Vanessa Mahlangu
She explains that mental health awareness, particularly in rural areas where some people believe mental health issues are caused by bewitchment, is crucial to saving lives.
Becoming a nurse, she notes, is not just a fallback career choice; it’s a profession that requires passion and love for people.
“Nursing is a great career, but you must have passion and love for people. It’s broad, flexible, and marketable, but it demands passion and care.”
READ NEXT: September overcomes struggles to become a champion for change
On a mission to combat stigma
Currently serving at Kameelpoortnek Clinic, Kwamhlanga in Thembisile Hani Municipality, Mpumalanga, Mahlangu is also a second-year master’s student at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.
She says she is now particularly interested in specialising or working closely with patients living with HIV/Aids and mental health issues in rural areas, as she believes these two areas are often neglected or pushed aside due to the stigma surrounding them in communities.
“My work becomes a happy space when a patient says thank you, or when I see improvement in people who came in vulnerable, seeking help.
“When patients take care of their health and adhere to their treatment, I always feel like I am doing my job the right way.”
She notes that being a nurse has taught her that when you take care of yourself physically and mentally and maintain a good lifestyle, you send a positive message to those around you.
“When you do good and show it, you inspire others. It’s the same with our jobs and our health.”
The key to effective healing
Mahlangu explains that health requires a combination of pillars: physical, mental, and emotional health. She points out that even when patients adhere to their treatment if they return home and neglect a healthy lifestyle, the treatment may struggle to be effective.
“Medications need a bit of motivation from what you eat, what you feed your brain with, and your physical as well.”
Vanessa Mahlangu
She notes that some health conditions improve simply by changing one’s lifestyle.
“Some people tend to opt for over-the-counter medication, even when they realise they’re facing the same health issue repeatedly. This does more harm than good and makes it harder to achieve quick healing.”
She adds that clinics provide a thorough screening process to help fight diseases and manage other health conditions, so people shouldn’t be afraid to visit the clinic, even if it’s just for advice.
Mahlangu is exactly where she always wanted to be. Her cup is full in this industry, and while she is still learning, her heart is happy.
ALSO READ: Late bloomer Mzinyathi realises nursing dream at 40
Get the Health For Mzansi newsletter: Your bi-weekly dose of kasi health, wellness and self-care inspiration.
