Zola Mhlongo Opens Up About Raising Son Mino From Afar While Chasing Career Dreams

• Zola Mhlongo made the difficult decision to let her young son Mino live with her mother in Durban while she builds her career in Johannesburg
• The broadcaster travels to Durban every two weeks to take Mino to school and spend quality time with him, calling it 'long-distance parenting'
• Zola says motherhood has strengthened her ambition, and she wants Mino to witness her success and understand why she made these sacrifices

Broadcasting personality Zola Mhlongo has opened up about one of the most emotionally complex chapters of her life, raising her son from a distance while fighting to build a sustainable career in South Africa's competitive media industry.

In a candid conversation, Zola admitted that allowing her young son, Mino, to remain in Durban with her mother while she works in Johannesburg was among the hardest choices she has ever faced. She is clear, though, that it was never about choosing career over child. For her, it was a calculated decision to build the kind of stable future Mino deserves.

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Long-distance parenting with purpose

Rather than letting the kilometres between them create emotional distance, Zola has made intentional effort to stay deeply involved in her son's daily life. She travels back to Durban every two weeks, ensuring she takes Mino to school and carves out as much quality time as possible during those visits.

She describes the arrangement as 'long-distance parenting' and says she lives for the day her son can permanently join her in Johannesburg, once the foundation she is working so hard to build is firmly in place. More than anything, she wants Mino to witness her journey firsthand and eventually understand why she pushed through the difficult years.

A legacy shaped by loss and resilience

Zola Mhlongo's drive is deeply rooted in her upbringing. Her father passed away when she was in Grade 2, leaving behind memories of unconditional love during a tragically brief time together. After his death, her mother raised her alone, and it is that quiet, unyielding strength she witnessed growing up that continues to fuel her today.

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Watching her mother fight to hold the family together taught Zola that perseverance is not optional when you have people depending on you. She carries that lesson into every professional decision she makes.

Motherhood, she says, has only sharpened her hunger. She firmly believes children learn as much from watching their parents pursue big goals as they do from anything taught in a classroom, and she refuses to model a version of life where dreams are surrendered the moment circumstances get tough.

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Source: Briefly News