Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng started her education under a tree and had to walk up to 10km just to get to school.

Today, she is a full professor in mathematics education. She is also preparing to take over from Max Price as the vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town from July. Perhaps foretelling good fortune, Phakeng was born still in her amniotic sac, in a Catholic clinic in Eastwood, Pretoria, on November 1, 1966. Her mother, Wendy, was a domestic and factory worker, while her father Frank was a radio announcer at the SABC.

After giving birth to Phakeng and her siblings, Wendy went back to school and finished her studies so she could work as a teacher. Phakeng recalls being sent to live with her grandparents in Marapyane village in Mpumalanga where as a Grade 1 pupil, on days when it was not raining, she would make the trek with her cousin to a rural school. However, she did not stay there long. Her primary school journey also took her to Ga-Rankuwa. In her 12 years of basic education she attended eight schools.

“Some of it (the moving around) was (because of) family, some of it was poverty and some of it was politics,” she says. “Even though my mother argues that I am an introvert, I had to get used to people quickly and speak to people that I didn’t know very well because that was just how life worked.”

She completed matric at a rural school in Hebron and enrolled at the University of Bophuthatswana (now part of North-West University) at just 16 years of age. Her parents warned her that she had just four years to get her degree. Phakeng, her brother and sister were at one stage all attending university at the same time. “So there wasn’t much time, there wasn’t much money.”

Describing herself as nerdy and scared at the time because she was still so young, Phakeng says she did not party it up at university. She threw herself into tennis, soccer and hockey. She was also well known for demonstrating ballroom and Latin American dancing skills that she picked up while in Ga-Rankuwa. Phakeng said she was never a student leader but attended mass meetings.

Phakeng obtained her PhD in mathematics education in 2002. While she struggled with other subjects, she excelled at mathematics because nobody told her it was hard, she said.

“I just came to terms with what I want, what I can and cannot do. “I focused on what I can do and I like, and I did it well. And all my life, that’s what I did.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

The V&A Waterfront is one of Africa’s most popular destinations, with more than 24 million visitors each year – more than even the Pyramids of Giza! But, just a few decades ago, South Africa’s oldest working harbour was an uninviting, industrial port nicknamed the ‘Tavern of the Seas’ by local sailors that held little attraction for visitors, and was largely removed from the daily lives of Capetonians.

How did the V&A Waterfront transform into one of the continent’s most visited destinations? How were the strong bonds between the city and its port broken? And how has the V&A Waterfront worked to rebuild them, creating new ways for everyone to rediscover Cape Town’s connection with the sea?

Seeking to answer some of visitors’ most frequently asked questions, and educate visitors on the V&A Waterfront’s extensive heritage, the V&A Waterfront has launched a free audio walking tour covering some of its best-known attractions that is sure to delight history buffs, trivia hours, and every other visitor too!

“The heritage of the V&A Waterfront is woven into the very fabric of the property, with most buildings and structures around us having important historical significance. This history – which is an integral part of the history of Cape Town – can often be forgotten in the rush of modern life. We worked hard to develop a meaningful, educational, interesting audio tour for our visitors to ensure that anyone interested in this history, can explore it at their leisure,” said David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront.

The newly launched audio walking tour will provide answers to questions by drawing visitors’ attention to unusual objects such as shipping containers and unfinished highways. Visitors can also learn about the humble beginnings of the modern V&A Waterfront, starting in 1989 with Ferryman’s Tavern, and be introduced to some of the characters who’ve helped shape the property’s evolution.

Going on the tour is incredibly simple: visitors should download the VoiceMap app (available for download on Android and iOS), search for and download the ‘Reinventing the Tavern of the Seas’ tour plug in their earphones, and tap ‘start’! The tour begins at the V&A Information Centre (close to the Amphitheatre and Cape Wheel) and ends at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in the Silo District.

The tour itself uses a GPS connection to ensure that your audio always matches where you are on the property – no matter your walking pace. If anyone veers a little too far off course, the GPS location will ensure the audio reminds them to return to the tour route. Additionally, the use of GPS means that, once the app and tour are downloaded, visitors can switch off their mobile data and do not need an active internet connection for the tour.

So, whether this is someone’s first visit to the V&A Waterfront or their hundred-and-first visit, every tour-goer will have their eyes opened to hidden traces of the past, the complex dance of daily operations at the V&A Waterfront, and the exciting opportunities for the property’s future.

Blake Lively once said: “The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” Sometimes though, confidence comes from wearing beautiful things.

Imagine you had to dress professionally for an important job interview but you didn’t have anything appropriate in your cupboard and you couldn’t afford to go out and buy something. What would you do?

Many job-seekers are faced with this problem around the world and especially here at home. That’s why the work that Dress For Success does is so important. Dress for Success Cape Town is a registered charity that improves the employability of women in need in the Western Cape by providing, free of charge, professional clothing, a network of support and the career development tools to help women achieve self-sufficiency.

Their vision is a world where women don’t live in poverty, where they are financially independent, are treated with dignity and are directly impacting their lives and those of their families.

Dress for Success is about so much more than just some new clothes. Not only do they help their clients choose an interview outfit and accessories, their programs are designed to boost their confidence and provide guidance and support for the upcoming interview. The ladies who walk through their doors leave feeling powerful and prepared – essentially dressed for success.

The organization is an ever-expanding network of affiliates who work together with referral agencies, volunteers and companies across the world to make a big impact in women’s lives. Their aim is to help over 1 000 women in 2018.

If you’re Interested in getting involved by donating clothing, financially or becoming a volunteer, you can reach them at capetown@dressforsuccess.org.