“Karabo Khoto graduates cum laude as part of VUT’s 60th generation, reflecting a journey shaped by resilience, opportunity, and entrepreneurial ambition.”
21 April 2026 | Story by: Shaun Michael Ndou | Picture: Keitumetse Mokgope
2 minutes read time.
There is a quiet determination behind Ms Karabo Khoto’s success, the kind that does not announce itself loudly, but reveals itself in results that speak with clarity. On 22 April 2026, she walked across the graduation stage at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) as part of its historic 60th generation of graduates, emerging as the top-performing student in her cohort and graduating cum laude with a Diploma in Retail Business Management.
For Ms Khoto, this milestone carries a deeper meaning. To graduate in the University’s 60th year is to become part of a legacy, one that stretches across decades of transforming lives through education. Yet her achievement is not defined by ceremony alone, but by a journey shaped by discipline, support, and an unwavering belief in what was possible.
She speaks of VUT not just as a place of learning, but as a space that challenged her to grow, to think differently, and to pursue excellence from the very beginning. Her path was strengthened by lecturers such as Prof Dlodlo, Ms Bhekiwe Simelane, Ms Mimi Tsotetsi, and Ms Onica Matsheke, who helped her connect theory to practice and encouraged her to see beyond the classroom.
“VUT is one of the best; the opportunities are here,” she said. “It opened doors for me, even beyond South Africa. I had to be ready when those opportunities came.”
That readiness carried her beyond borders, including an academic experience in Zimbabwe that broadened her outlook and sharpened her global perspective. At the same time, her growth took root in practical spaces, where ideas could be tested and refined.
Through programmes such as Enactus and the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), she began shaping solutions to real challenges. “Fridge For You”, an appliance rental service, and “Cleora”, her sustainable detergent brand, speak to a mindset that blends innovation with social awareness, creating value that extends beyond personal success.
Behind the ambition lies a strong personal foundation. She draws strength from her husband and her mother, whose experience in retail quietly inspired her long before her journey took form.
Now pursuing an Advanced Diploma with the support of a Shoprite bursary, Ms Khoto stands at the threshold of what comes next. As a member of VUT’s 60th generation, she embodies more than academic excellence. She represents a generation shaped to lead, to build, and to carry forward a legacy with purpose.