09 April 2025 | Story: VUT Corporate Communications | Photo: Peter Masela.
3 minutes read time.
The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) recently conferred qualifications upon hundreds of graduates from the Faculty of Management Sciences during its Autumn Graduation Ceremonies on 8 and 9 April 2025. While the occasion celebrated academic achievement, it also revealed something far deeper: stories of resilience, sacrifice, and the human spirit’s capacity to rise above adversity.
Across disciplines, ranging from Marketing, Human Resource Management and Internal Auditing to Logistics, Sport Management, and Cost and Management Accounting, one theme rang true: behind every certificate was a story, a struggle, and a moment of personal victory.
For many, the journey began in humble circumstances and unfolded against the odds. Take Mr Mushe Leonard Mabasa from Orange Farm, for instance. Awarded the top achiever in Marketing at diploma level, his entrepreneurial fire was lit early selling sweets as a child to help at home. On graduation day, he walked proudly across the stage as the first in his family to earn a degree.
Others, like Ms Malese Justin Phori from Limpopo, navigated personal loss while pursuing academic goals. She was named the top achiever in Marketing at advanced diploma level, having persevered through the heartache of losing both her brother and aunt in the same year. Supported by loved ones, she turned pain into purpose, inspiring others through her resolve.
In the corridors of Internal Auditing and Cost and Management Accounting, excellence met grit. Ms Alrinah Makgatha from Germiston, Ms Chantele Buys from Musina, and Mr Daniel Mohlahlo from Sebokeng each received top honours at their respective qualification levels. From adjusting to the pressures of university to overcoming near misses and sleepless nights, they showed that academic distinction is earned not just through intellect, but endurance.
Similarly, in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, the names Ngema Bethu, Mabena Miya Princess, and Chiloane Solly Moeketsi Donald stood out not just for their marks, but for their journeys. Chiloane’s story is particularly poignant: having lost both his parents and later his grandmother, he defied grief to become the postgraduate top achiever with an average of over 80%. Now a master’s student with dreams of a PhD, he hopes to lecture and inspire others to press forward no matter their past.
Human Resource Management graduates added further depth to the graduation narrative. Ms Dolly Mpandza, self-funded and undeterred by financial strain, graduated with top honours from Nkomazi, Mpumalanga. “Trust your instincts and stay focused,” she advised, her own journey a testament to persistence. Ms Portia Mokokodisa from Qwaqwa juggled her municipal job with academic demands, persevering through personal tragedy with faith and grace, and Ms Varuna Maharaj, a senior HR professional and mother of two, managed her studies part-time while leading in the mining sector, proving that learning truly has no age limit.
What bound all these graduates together, despite their different disciplines, hometowns, and hardships, was a shared refusal to quit.
These are not just stories about degrees; they are stories about rising. Rising from heartbreak, from humble beginnings, from hardship, and from moments when giving up seemed easier.
As families filled the VUT hall with ululations, applause and joyful tears, it became clear that this was no ordinary graduation. It was a celebration of human potential and a reminder that education is not just about books and lectures. It is about courage, resilience, and the power of hope.
