KATLEGO PILANE
Much like many coming from the indigent backgrounds of South Africa, Dr Harold Ncongwane's remarkable journey began in Soshanguve, a township northwest of Pretoria where he attended Amogelang Secondary School and completed matric in 2008.
Initially, Ncongwane aspired to a career in music or the sound engineering industry, but his parents had a different vision and encouraged him to pursue a more "stable" profession.
Because of his deep passion, in 2009, Ncongwane joined radio station Smangaliso Mkhatswa, a community-based campus broadcaster, as a presenter, while at the same time enrolling to study psychology at Unisa. At the tender age of 21, he became a board member at Smangaliso Mkhatswa.
Ncongwane shares that he always liked the psychology profession, even during his high school years. People always found him approachable to speak to about their most personal issues.
Resources were scarce and he had limited access to community libraries. Despite a teacher advising him against the field due to its perceived difficulty, Harold was undeterred and began his psychology studies at Unisa. It was a bold move, especially for a young man coming from a background where immediate employment was often the priority.
During his first year, Ncongwane applied to the Peer Help Programme at the Unisa Directorate of Counselling and Career Development. Despite its competitive selection process that accepted only eight students, he was successful in his application and began his training under the mentorship of Dr Tshifiwa Kodisang and Dr Leza Deyzel.
Ncongwane describes this experience as transformative, and he credits his mentors for shaping his career at that early stage of his studies.
After completing the volunteer programme, Ncongwane was offered a contract as an assistant student counsellor at Directorate of Counselling and Career Development, where he provided career counselling and workshops for four years. He later advanced to Intern Career Guidance Practitioner after completing his Honours Degree in Psychology.
Ncongwane’s academic development continued on its upward trajectory when he was selected for the master’s programme in Research Consultation, having applied for various master’s programmes. While pursuing his degree, he became an e-tutor and was later offered a postgraduate assistant position in the Department of Psychology at Unisa.
Under the mentorship of Professors Eduard Fourie and Martin Terreblanche, he developed an interest in research, programme development and accreditation. This worked to his advantage as he was offered a role as a Research and Development Specialist at the Independent Institute of Education, where he managed accreditation processes and collaborated with heads of programmes across five private colleges.
Parallel with his professional development, Ncongwane completed his Master’s degree in Research Consultation and began his PhD at Unisa, with Dr Angelo Fynn serving as his mentor.
His doctoral research, titled Enhancing Access to Healthcare in a Comprehensive Open Distance Learning Institution: A Community-Based and Multidisciplinary Approach, addressed the challenges of healthcare access for distance learning students. His work proposed a model for strategic partnerships between public and private health sectors to improve healthcare access, specifically for distance learners.
Following his PhD, Ncongwane’s focus remained on student support, and he eventually took on the role of Departmental Chairperson for Student Support, overseeing undergraduate programme coordination and serving on the executive committee of the Department of Psychology.
One of Ncongwane’s key insights is that academic development, particularly in psychology, requires a proactive approach. "You must continuously strive to enhance yourself – critical thinking, research abilities, and intellectual growth are not automatic; you need to immerse yourself in the process," he states.
In addition to his academic roles, Ncongwane is an executive member of the South African Committee of Health Sciences Deans. Founded in 2009, South African Committee of Health Sciences Deans is dedicated to optimising academic activities within health sciences faculties across South Africa, addressing healthcare, research and social imperatives.
As part of this role, Ncongwane ensures that the Department of Psychology, Social Work, Health Studies, and related disciplines align with South African Committee of Health Sciences Deans’ mission to produce graduates equipped to meet the country's healthcare needs.
His work involves reporting on best practices at Unisa, comparing them with other institutions, and advocating for policies that enhance teaching, research and community engagement.
Ncongwane's commitment to both academia and leadership is evident in his future ambitions. "I aspire to play a strategic role in university operations and eventually become a full professor," he says. His early experiences in informal counselling during high school and his career in intervention-based roles have shaped his interest in psychology, while his passion for research developed later.
Ncongwane’s work on strategic partnerships, particularly in healthcare, reflects his commitment to bridging gaps between academic institutions and real-world challenges. His PhD research offers a model for collaboration between academic and public health centres, focusing on resource sharing, monitoring and technical assistance among other areas. His vision is to foster partnerships that contribute to health and wellness interventions in higher education, while also identifying areas for future research.
Beyond his academic pursuits, Ncongwane has been actively involved in community engagement, particularly through career guidance initiatives for high school learners in Mamelodi and various career focused radio station interviews.
Since 2017, he has been part of the Inside-Out Outside-In Corrections Interest Group, an engaged scholarship project in the Department of Psychology, which focuses on education in correctional facilities. He emphasises the importance of staying connected with communities to avoid imposing unsustainable solutions.
Ncongwane’s research interests include student experience and support in higher education, open, distance and eLearning, education in corrections, and developmental psychology. His background in education management, curriculum development and leadership mentoring, combined with his skills in public speaking and facilitation, continues to shape his impact on the academic and broader community.