Meet the #iKTribe: Wearing Many Hats with Nonku Bhengu

A Woman Of Many Hats

Born and raised in Ntuzuma, Durban, Nonku brings true meaning to local is lekker. Having successfully completed her diploma in Information Technology at the Durban University of Technology, Nonku kicked off her career on the shores of Durban and has spent the majority of it planted there.

We think it's safe to say her roots run deep in her home city.

A devout family woman, Nonku enjoys living life with her children and taking the chance to travel when she can. Lazy, relaxed holidays by the poolside and trotting to South Africa’s hidden gems with her little ones are one of the things you're sure to find her doing outside of iKhokha.

“I love to travel, and I have a superpower because I travel with all of my kids.”

Nonku wears many hats, from supermom to career-woman. Yet, all of them fit the same - remarkably well. As it stands, Nonku is leading a growing team of Testers at iKhokha and helping them deliver the best possible technology to South Africa's small businesses to reach their full potential.

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Making Her Way into the Testing Environment

While Nonku's initial plan was to move from testing into the software development space, her attention to detail, adaptability, and strong will led her to find her superpower in testing.

Everything fell into place as time went by, and Nonku started seeing how her strengths added value to her work. Twelve years later, she sits down with us at the iKhokha Headquarters as our very own Test Lead.

From a software tester to a test lead, Nonku transitioned to give people the leadership everyone deserves. A natural-born leader, she recalls always being one step ahead in a challenge and taking gracious control of a team at every opportunity.

Think Ahead, Fail Fast

It is no surprise that the iKhokha principle she holds close to heart is “Think Ahead, Fail Fast.”

If it hadn't been for proper leadership that encouraged her to try and fail rather than fail to try, she sounds certain that she would not have been able to discover her true talents and potential.

Bountiful years of experience in the tech field has unravelled how important strong leadership is. Nonku prides herself in leading by example and cultivating a space where people can experiment, learn and succeed together.

"The right leader in testing allows you to go ahead and try and fail."

When it comes to working at iKhokha, Nonku loves that she can depend on her team to get the work done without putting on pressure. The hustle hard together spirit is embedded into each and every one of our iK Tribe members’ DNA, and it shows!

"Everyone knows what they need to do to get the hustle out, and we're getting it done."

Learn As You Grow

Having worked with major locally founded companies like Derivco and Private Property in her 12 years, she's learned something about what it takes to be on your A-game. And she boils it down to 3 points.

1. Dig deeper to understand

Even with a background in software development, Nonku admits to not always knowing what needs to be done. Her challenge is to dig deeper to uncover the inner workings of what's being tested in order to understand what needs to be modified, added or taken away.

"But first, you need to be able to understand it. And understand it well," she says. "Don't take anything at face value. Seek to understand the ins and outs of a product."

2. Make it your mission to learn (wherever you are)

Learning is a lifetime journey. It puts Nonku (and many of us) at ease knowing that there won't be a point in our lives where we hit the ceiling and have nothing more to learn. In the tech space, there's always something new being released.

"I still carry now that you don't know as much as you think you know. There's always an opportunity to learn."

3. Put people first

Nonku believes in putting the people before the product, system, software or feature designed to serve at the forefront of everything. A previous business owner and iK merchant herself, she knows first-hand the needs, expectations and pain points of South African business owners. She strives to provide an unmatched experience to make business easier.

"We make it our priority to ensure that whoever uses the product gets the best experience possible. For business owners, this means that every product is easy-to-use and gives them the credibility they need as a business."