Sbongakonke Sphesihle Xaba, from Pietermaritzburg is excited to have achieved her goal of passing her National Diploma in Drama and Production Studies (majoring in Dance) with Cum Laude. The 20-year-old Xaba will be graduating on 30 May 2023 at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Autumn Graduation Ceremony, to be held at the Olive Convention Centre.

It was a dream come true for Xaba when she learned that she had achieved Cum Laude. She said that this was her wish since the beginning of her academic journey and she was inspired by the stories of academic excellence that were told to her before she came to the university.

Xaba praises her mother who is a single parent, for supporting her since the beginning. She explained that she would not have achieved such an accolade if it was not for her mother who has acted as a support system to her.

“I dedicate this achievement to my mother. I remember myself always complaining about the workload and how I felt so drained and discouraged most of the time. My mother would always encourage me to not give up,” said Xaba.

She listed the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the challenges that she was faced with. With the changes that came with COVID-19, Xaba was convinced that she was going to fail. She added that referencing almost hindered her from achieving her goals, saying that it took a lot of practice and perseverance to finally master it.

Xaba is currently doing her Advanced Diploma in Drama. Sharing her ‘winning recipe’, she said: “Keep your eye on the prize. Work on your own pace and believe that you can do this!”

Moreover, she is driven by the desire to live the life of her dreams and she believes that all that lies in her hands.

Lastly, Xaba imparted advice to first year students saying that they should always stay focused.

“Work hard and the end results will be worth it. Tough times never last, only tough people do,” said Xaba.

Pictured: Sbongakonke Sphesihle Xaba

Nikiwe Sukazi