FROM UNPLANNED BEGGININGS TO CUMLAUDE RESEACHER: ASANDISWA MZANTSI’S JOURNEY INTO SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

The Women and Girls in Science campaign at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) continues to highlight the diverse and inspiring journeys of women who are shaping research and innovation.

Today, the spotlight falls on Asandiswa Mzantsi, a young scientist whose path into research began not with a grand master plan, but with a single step forward.

Mzantsi’s academic journey did not begin with a clearly mapped-out future. Instead, it started with a decision to begin somewhere-anywhere-and allow growth to follow.

“My journey started unplanned. I did not sit down with a clear vision of where I was going. I enrolled for a Diploma in Pest Management without really knowing what my ‘big picture’ was. I just knew I needed to start somewhere,” she said.

It was during her undergraduate diploma studies that her perspective shifted.

Exposure to modules such as Crop Pests of Southern Africa opened her eyes to the agricultural realities of the region. But it was a mini research project that truly changed everything.

“During my diploma, modules like Crop Pests of Southern Africa opened my eyes to the realities of agriculture in our region. Then, during a mini research project in that same programme, something shifted. I fell in love with research. Not just studying for exams, but asking questions, testing ideas, and trying to solve real problems,” recalled Mzantsi.

That curiosity drove her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Pest Management, positioning herself to move into advanced research.

She went on to complete her BSc Honours in Botany, graduating cum laude-a milestone that marked a defining moment in her journey.

“That was the moment I finally felt like I had found my space. I was able to combine my background in pest management with plant science, bringing insects and plants into the same conversation,” she said.

Her Honours research explored plant–insect interactions, evaluating the potential of medicinal plants such as Tagetes minuta (Khaki bush) and Urtica urens (Burning nettle) as bio-insecticides against the Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia), a global cereal pest threatening wheat production.

The project, co-supervised in collaboration with the University of the Free State, expanded her scientific exposure and strengthened her research direction.

“And if I am being honest, what informed that project was simple: I wanted to contribute to solutions that are environmentally safer, locally accessible, and rooted in the knowledge of the plants around us,” she said.

The significance of her work extends beyond academic interest. Wheat remains a staple crop, and pest-related yield losses affect food systems and livelihoods. Developing sustainable, plant-based alternatives offers the potential to reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals while supporting more resilient agricultural practices.

Today, Mzantsi continues this work through her Master of Science in Botany, investigating the bioactive compounds within these medicinal plants and examining how wheat defence pathways — such as lipoxygenase and phenylalanine ammonium-lyase — contribute to resistance against the virulent Russian wheat aphid.

“Now I am not just asking whether these plants work, I am investigating how they work. I am studying their phytochemical composition and the biochemical defence mechanisms that may underlie plant-mediated resistance.”

Reflecting on her journey, she offers a message to young women who may feel uncertain about their future.

“Sometimes I think about the girl who was doing a diploma with no master plan. Sometimes you only realise how far you have come when you look back. If there is one thing my journey has taught me, it is this: you do not need a perfect plan to begin. Start where you are. Stay curious. Allow yourself to grow beyond what you first imagined.”

As the Women and Girls in Science campaign continues, Mzantsi’s story stands as a reminder that scientific excellence does not always begin with certainty-sometimes it begins with curiosity, courage and the willingness to take the first step.

By: Yolanda Palezweni