Thokozani Mkhatshwa, the Deputy Chair of the recently formed Ihawu Rover Crew in Gauteng, was recently appointed as SCOUTS South Africa’s Head of Contingent to the 2nd Africa Scout Moot in August. After a lifetime of Scouting and having attended the 1st Africa Scout Moot in Kenya, we are excited to have him lead our participation to this iconic event.
“When I joined Cubs in the Ekurhuleni community as a shy 10-year-old, I was so excited to make new friends and to learn all these new skills, while doing lots of fun activities. I mostly enjoyed the friendships formed, pioneering, and completing the interest badges,” explains Thokozani.
“One interest badge was especially helpful and that was the ‘Entertainer interest badge’ as it really helped me with my public speaking. About three months after I joined Scouting, I also joined the Lego League World Challenge through school. I was quite nervous but with the support of my friends and teachers I got high positions in 2009 and 2010. Being able to speak publicly with confidence also helped me thrive in High School and when I was in Grade 12, I was a cosas secretary in my school. This brings me to the values I use daily and my way of leading others, which has also been shaped through Scouting. Training courses like PLTU where, as Scouts, we are encouraged and given a chance to lead Patrols in turns, and then also work as a team being led by another young person. Experiences like those have shaped how I lead teams today too. I don’t dictate what we need to do, I let people have a say and enable equal opportunities to help the group grow. We are in it together.”
Now that he has been appointed as SCOUTS SA’s Head of Contingent to the 2nd Africa Scout Moot ,Thokozani is keen to share the fun, exchange and learning of another Rover Moot as in fact, Thokozani is also one of the few SCOUTS SA members that attended the 1st Africa Scout Moot in Kenya! “I think what stood out the most for me at the 1st Africa Scout Moot was the cultural exchange and mutual understanding that took place. In the beginning I didn’t understand much of what was being said as everyone was speaking Swahili, but after a few days I caught a few words and was able to engage more and made some good friends with whom I still chat to today. I look forward to others experiencing this for themselves. It was also interesting to hear how other National Scout Organizations do Scouting, what skills they learn, the programmes they follow, and the badges they have. I am looking forward to showcasing what we have, how we do Scouting, and I hope that Rovers from overseas can learn from us and take that home to their Crews.”
Currently, Thokozani is employed as a Development Officer within the Gauteng DSD Scouting initiative, where he uses the skills learned over a lifetime in the Scout Movement to inspire young boys to become the best versions of themselves, and to contribute to building their communities with sound values and practical life skills.