Not everyone grows up knowing exactly what they want to become. While many young people confidently say “doctor,” “lawyer,” or “engineer,” others carry something less defined—a feeling, a pull, a sense that they are meant to do something meaningful.
For Naledi Ntuli, that feeling didn’t come with a clear title. It came with purpose. And eventually, that purpose led her into the world of public administration—a field that quietly sits at the core of how society functions.
Today, Naledi is part of a new generation of professionals working at the intersection of policy, governance, and social impact—proving that you don’t need a traditional path to build a meaningful career.
A Career Path She Did Not See Coming
Naledi admits that, at first, she did not even know public administration and governance existed as a career path. Like many young people in high school, she was surrounded by peers who had clear answers about their futures. They wanted to become doctors, lawyers and psychologists. She did not have that same certainty.
What she did have, however, was a strong inner pull toward meaningful work. She knew she wanted to do something that would contribute to the greater good. She wanted to influence society, challenge systems and make a real impact, even if she could not yet name the profession that would allow her to do that.
Initially, she thought law might be the route. It seemed close enough to the kind of influence and systems-level thinking she was drawn to. But once she found herself studying public administration, something clicked. The sense of purpose she had been carrying for years suddenly had direction.
That is when she realized she had found the field she was meant to be in.
The Lecture That Changed Everything
Naledi recalls that one of the first major turning points came during her early university days. She entered public administration without fully understanding what it was about, but one lecture in particular changed her perspective entirely.
Before then, she viewed government in a way many citizens do: critically, emotionally and from a distance. She believed government was failing, systems were broken and accountability was lacking. While some of those concerns still mattered to her, studying public administration gave her a deeper and more objective lens.
She began to understand that governance is complex. It is not enough to complain about broken systems without fully understanding how they work, why they fail and what can be done to improve them. That shift moved her from blame to problem-solving. Instead of asking only what government was doing wrong, she began asking what role she could play in helping make things better.
That mindset changed everything.
From Rejection to Recognition
Naledi’s academic journey was not smooth from the beginning, and that is one of the most important parts of her story. She openly shares that after matric, she did not get the results she had hoped for. While many of her peers moved straight into university, she found herself dealing with rejection letters and disappointment.
Instead of giving up, she made the decision to attend an upgrading school in 2020. Looking back, she sees that year as a turning point. It refined her, not only academically, but mentally too. It taught her discipline, resilience and intentionality.
A big reason she had struggled before was that she lacked clarity. Without a clear sense of direction, it was difficult to feel motivated or fully apply herself. But once she entered public administration and discovered a genuine connection to the field, her approach changed completely. She became more focused, more disciplined and more committed to understanding her work at a deeper level.
That shift led to outstanding academic results. Naledi graduated with distinctions, earned top student recognition and later achieved the same level of excellence in her honours year, even while balancing work and studies.
Her success was not the result of luck or natural ease. It came from consistency, structure and a deep sense of purpose.
What Excellence Looked Like Behind the Scenes
Naledi was not the kind of student who waited for test week to begin studying. She built habits that supported long-term understanding rather than last-minute cramming. After lectures, she would immediately make notes, revisit the textbook, test her understanding and research what she did not fully grasp.
She created timetables at the start of each semester and spread her modules across the week, studying them regularly, whether or not there was an upcoming test. For her, it was never just about passing. It was about understanding systems well enough to one day help solve the problems within them.
Her academic discipline came from the fact that she had fallen in love with the field. Once she understood the “why” behind her studies, hard work became easier to sustain.
The Reality of Entering the Working World
Transitioning from student life to the professional world can be intimidating, but Naledi’s move into work was made smoother by the fact that she had already started gaining experience while still at university. From her second year, she worked as a tutor and later as a GPS success coach, which exposed her to responsibility, structure and people management.
Even so, entering the professional environment required adjustment. The stakes were higher, expectations were bigger and the dynamics of the workplace were more complex. She had to quickly strengthen certain skills, particularly adaptability, networking and problem-solving.
One of the biggest lessons she learned is that in corporate spaces, doing good work is not always enough on its own. People need to know what you contribute. You have to communicate your value, build relationships and learn how to speak for your work.
For introverts especially, that can be uncomfortable. But Naledi emphasizes that networking is essential if you want to grow.
Her Current Role: Where Policy Meets Strategy
Naledi currently works in public affairs, where her role sits at the intersection of policy, strategy and stakeholder engagement. Although she is still relatively new in the role, she describes it as a space that is both exciting and intellectually stimulating.
A large part of her work currently involves research. She keeps up with policy developments, tracks new bills, follows what is happening across departments and studies how broader government priorities may affect her sector. She also spends time breaking down major developments, such as the national budget speech, to understand what they mean for the country, specific industries and organizational strategy.
At its core, her work involves turning complex policy environments into clear, useful insights. It is about identifying risks, opportunities and areas where organizations can align with government priorities in meaningful ways.
Even though much of the work happens behind the scenes, it has real-world implications.
Why Public Administration Matters More Than People Think
Public administration may not be the first field young people think of when considering impactful careers, but Naledi believes it sits at the core of how a country functions. It influences how decisions are made, how policies are developed and whether those policies ever reach the people they were designed to serve.
She explains that policy alone is not enough. South Africa has many strong and well-written policies on paper. The real challenge lies in implementation. Without political will, accountability, proper resource management and capable institutions, even the best policy remains theoretical.
That is why Naledi is so passionate about this field. For her, public administration is not simply paperwork or bureaucracy. It is about ensuring that systems work in ways that improve people’s everyday lives.
Whether it is social grants, education support, health systems or the budget speech, policy affects people more directly than many realize.
Making Social Impact From a Corporate Space
One of the more interesting parts of Naledi’s journey is how she discovered that social impact is not limited to government or public sector roles. Like many people studying public administration, she initially believed the only meaningful path would be through municipalities, parliament, Treasury or other state institutions.
But her exposure to public affairs showed her that even in corporate spaces, there is room to make a difference.
She explains that corporate organizations can contribute to social impact by aligning their work with government priorities, acting as responsible corporate citizens and creating solutions that help address real societal needs. This can happen through bursaries, digital infrastructure support, small business development or products and services that help government function more effectively.
In other words, a person does not need to work directly in public service to contribute to public good.
That realization expanded her view of what a purpose-driven career can look like.
The Challenges Facing Governance Today
Naledi identifies several key challenges affecting public administration and governance today. Among them are political interference, lack of consistent political will, weak accountability, corruption, wasteful expenditure, underspending and shortages of critical skills.
She believes many of the problems are not caused by the absence of policies or structures, but by weak implementation and poor follow-through. In some cases, institutions are not staffed in ways that balance political realities with competence and expertise. In others, enforcement mechanisms exist but are not used consistently enough to build trust and accountability.
For Naledi, solving these issues requires more than frustration. It requires capable people, innovative thinking and active citizenship.
Her Message to Young Professionals
Naledi believes young professionals have a major role to play in shaping the future of governance. She encourages them to stop seeing governance as something separate from themselves. In her view, citizens are part of the system, not just observers of it.
She argues that complaining alone is not enough. Young people must bring innovation, critical thinking and a problem-solving mindset. They must be willing to take action, challenge systems constructively and see themselves as contributors to change.
She also stresses the importance of practical exposure. Internships, graduate programmes and work experience help bridge the gap between theory and the realities of professional life. They offer young people the chance to grow, learn and build confidence before stepping fully into demanding roles.
When applying for opportunities, she advises students to be intentional. A CV should not simply list duties and qualifications. It should communicate value clearly and show alignment with the specific role being applied for.
The Legacy She Wants to Leave
Naledi wants her work to leave behind meaningful and tangible change. She does not want to be part of systems where policies exist only on paper. She wants to help build institutions and structures that genuinely improve lives.
Beyond that, she also wants her journey to encourage others, especially young people who may feel uncertain about their path. She understands what it means to move without clarity, to face setbacks and to discover purpose along the way.
Her hope is that someone listening to her story will feel encouraged to keep going, even if the future does not yet make perfect sense.
That may be one of the most powerful parts of her story: the reminder that purpose is not always obvious at the beginning. Sometimes, it reveals itself through the process.
