“A year after an emotional moment that touched millions, Mr Nthato Phake returns to the VUT graduation stage, marking his journey of resilience, growth, and determination in Cost and Management Accounting.”
24 April 2026 | Story by: Teboho Goniwe| Picture: Keitumetse Mokgope
3 minutes read time.
Last year, the stage at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) held a moment no one could quite explain. As Mr Nthato Phake walked across to receive his qualification, emotion overcame him. He broke down in full view of the hall, leaving many wondering what lay beneath that moment.
When the video was later shared, it travelled far beyond the walls of the University, reaching over 3.3 million views. People connected with something they could not fully name, but deeply felt.
This year, he returned.
On 22 April 2026, at the Desmond Tutu Great Hall, Mr Phake once again stepped onto the graduation stage, this time to receive his Advanced Diploma in Cost and Management Accounting. The applause was familiar, but the moment carried a different weight. It was no longer a question. It was an answer.
An answer shaped by resilience, growth, and a quiet refusal to give up.
Originally from Pimville, Zone 14 in Soweto, Mr Phake’s journey into accounting began with inspiration from a family member. What started as curiosity grew into a passion for numbers, for analysis, and for the discipline that the field demands.
“I realised that I enjoy working with numbers and analysing information, and that is what led me to this field,” he said.
But the path was not simple. Throughout his studies, he navigated the realities of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning to build focus in a world that often moved faster than he could settle into. It required patience, structure, and a deep understanding of himself.
Along the way, he found support. Lecturers, academic staff, and the University’s support services became part of his foundation, helping him find rhythm in the midst of pressure.
“I am grateful for the support I received, especially from those who guided me from my first year. That support made a difference in my journey,” he said.
The academic demands did not ease. Advanced modules tested his consistency, stretching him beyond comfort. There were moments where the work felt overwhelming, where doubt lingered. But he stayed. He worked. He pushed through.
Behind that determination stood his family, a constant source of belief when the journey felt uncertain. Their encouragement became a steady voice, reminding him of his potential even when he struggled to see it himself.
Today, Mr Phake is working as a credit controller, steadily building his professional path. Yet he is not done. His ambitions reach further, with plans to pursue an Honours degree and, in time, a doctoral qualification.
Looking back, the moment that once left people searching for answers now feels complete. What the world saw last year was not weakness. It was the weight of a journey, the release of everything it took to arrive at that stage.
This year, there were no questions. Only understanding.
As VUT continues to mark its 60th graduation milestone, his story stands as a reminder that success is not always loud or linear. Sometimes it arrives through struggle, through persistence, and through moments that break us open before they build us again.
He returned to the stage not just to collect another qualification, but to reclaim the moment.
And in doing so, he turned emotion into strength, and a moment of vulnerability into a story of triumph.