{"id":26582,"date":"2025-08-18T13:32:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T13:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=26582"},"modified":"2025-08-18T13:32:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T13:32:39","slug":"vut-stages-first-year-for-sale-to-spotlight-first-year-struggles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/nso\/vut-stages-first-year-for-sale-to-spotlight-first-year-struggles\/","title":{"rendered":"VUT stages First Year for Sale to spotlight first-year struggles"},"content":{"rendered":"

“VUT Student Support Services hosted First Year for Sale<\/em> by Dr Jerry Makhetha, a play on student challenges, mental health, and self-worth, inspiring growth.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18 August 2025 | Story By: Tshepang Mothibedi | Picture:\u00a0Keitumetse Mokgope<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 minutes read time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"VUT<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From 11\u201314 August 2025, the Vaal University of Technology\u2019s (VUT) Student Support Services (SSS) presented Dr Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha\u2019s theatre production First Year for Sale<\/em> at the Desmond Tutu Great Hall. Staged under the theme The Adventures of Student Life: How Much Are You Worth?<\/em>, the play illuminated the struggles, triumphs, and self-discoveries that define the first year of university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-day showcase featured celebrated guests: Ms Lerato Makhetha, acclaimed South African actor, music and television producer; Ms Moleboheng Selekane, an actor, writer, producer, vocalist, casting assistant and storyteller; and Ms Bonolo Peni, an actor, filmmaker and entrepreneur. Together they brought poetry, song, and drama to life, weaving narratives that echoed the real experiences of first-year students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their performances painted vivid portraits of student life, from the disorientation of entering a new environment to the financial and academic pressures and the search for belonging. The audience witnessed the emotional and social shifts that come with independence, as well as the weight of responsibility that accompanies this new chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most powerful moments came through Ms Bonolo Peni\u2019s heartfelt poem about a student navigating university while living with bipolar disorder. The poem traced the student\u2019s decision to abandon medication in pursuit of feeling \u201cnormal\u201d among peers, a decision fraught with pain and consequence. Many students resonated with the piece. One openly shared, \u201cI am living with bipolar disorder, and coming to university has been challenging. Balancing medication with socialising hasn\u2019t been easy, but I am committed to managing it every day.\u201d The performance sparked candid, necessary conversations about mental health in varsity spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The play further explored themes of careless spending, the pressures of supporting family, the pursuit of entertainment, declining academic performance compared with high school, and the complexities of relationships. Framed by the provocative question How much are you worth?<\/em>, the production urged students to reflect deeply on self-worth, choices, and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each performance concluded with a dialogue session where students engaged directly with the cast. In one exchange, a student asked Mr Lerato Makhetha whether he personally related to any of the characters. He replied, \u201cHaving been a university student myself, I struggled to fit in and often hid where I came from, which nearly caused me to lose myself along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a moment of wisdom, Ms Bonolo Peni reminded students not to fall in love with the degree, but rather with the discipline and knowledge it imparts. The event culminated with Dr Jerry Makhetha\u2019s heartfelt gratitude to VUT, the Student Representative Council (SRC), and the SSS for their support. He closed with a profound reminder: \u201cWhere purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catch the full experience on Flickr<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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