24/04/2026
From Harrismith to attaining a PHD at age 30!
By Michael Tamelinth (Free State World)
Dr Lindokuhle Precious Hlatshwayo is originally from the Eastern Free State, born in Qwaqwa and raised in Harrismith from the age of 8.
In 2015, at the age of 19, she made the bold decision to leave home and travel to the Western Cape to enrol for a Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). That single step would set in motion an 11-year academic journey.
She completed her undergraduate studies in 2018, and in 2019, inspired by Prof D***s and her research module, Lindokuhle pursued her Master’s degree at UWC.
“My Master’s research examined how social work students adjusted to online learning during lockdown, transitioning from blended learning environments.”
With the generous financial support of the Ada and Bertie Lavenstine funding. She completed her Master’s in 2021 and then enrolled for her PhD in 2022, fully funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF).
“My PhD, titled Guidelines for Social Work Practitioners and Service Users to Engage in Responsive E-Social Work Practices, was supervised by Prof. M.A. van der Westhuizen at UWC. The research was driven by the growing impact of global crises and disasters — floods, droughts, and pandemics — and the urgent need for social work to move beyond traditional, in-person practice.” She said.
The study developed evidence-based guidelines to help social work practitioners and service users effectively use digital platforms during times of crisis. It was grounded in Critical Social Work theory and the Crisis Intervention Model, providing a framework for technology-supported, innovative social work responses.
The key findings highlighted outreach strategies during disasters, the role of technology in social work practice, ethical considerations, and the advantages and challenges of digital tools in crises. These findings culminated in a comprehensive set of Responsive E-Social Work Guidelines — a first-of-its-kind resource to help social work organisations develop digital practice protocols for crises and disasters.
Completing her PhD at the age of 30, after 11 dedicated years at UWC, stands as one of the most defining milestones in Lindokuhle’s life. As a young woman from Harrismith, Lindokhuhle is proud to be among the youngest PhD graduates in Social Work. This achievement reflects a lifelong commitment to academic excellence and service to humanity.
“I have accepted a permanent lectureship at the University of the North West, I have published more than five peer-reviewed, DHET-listed articles, and I am currently involved in two active collaborative research projects with colleagues from Fort Hare University and the University of the Western Cape. I am only at the beginning of what I intend to be a long and impactful career in social work scholarship.”
