Slindile Ximba, former Student Representative Council (SRC) Academic Officer has ‘walked the walk’ not once but twice after obtaining her second qualification as she graduated with her Advanced Diploma in Business information Management. She graduated Cum Laude and received the esteemed Dean’s Merit award for academic excellence at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Autumn Graduation Ceremony held in Indumiso Campus, Pietermaritzburg on Monday, 11 May 2026.
Whilst on stage only one person came to her mind, her later mother. Although she is no longer present to witness her milestone, she knows that she is proud of her. Every achievement she has accomplished in her absence remains deeply emotional. Slindile explained thatTthere are moments where she still wishes her mother was present to celebrate these milestones alongside with her, hence this is why she has dedicated this qualification to her.
“I remember vividly when I graduated for my Diploma qualification. While preparing for my graduation, I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered what her reaction would have been if she had been there to witness that moment. Even though she is no longer with me, her memory continues to inspire and strengthen me daily. Also, I always thank God for my grandmother, she held me when the world shuddered, the first qualification was for her, this one is for my mother,’’ she said emotionally.
For Slindile, graduating with the Dean’s Merit award represents resilience, discipline, perseverance, and self-belief. On her first graduation, she made a personal commitment to herself that when are returns for her advanced diploma graduation, she would graduate with the Dean’s Merit award, and she kept her promise.
“Today, I am proud to say that I fulfilled that promise through hard work, sacrifice, and consistency,’’ she described.
Upon receiving the news her family reacted with overwhelming joy. Her grandmother reminded Slindile that her mother would be proud of her in heaven. Her words deeply touched her and served as a reminder that her sacrifices, and perseverance were worthwhile.
Slindile is a passionate student leader, academic achiever, and young woman who strongly believes in leadership, education, and personal growth. Throughout her journey she has always believed in working hard, remaining disciplined, and inspiring others through both leadership and academic excellence.
She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Southern Region Pan African Forum, which focuses on student leadership across the African continent and enrolled for her Postgraduate Diploma in Business Information Management.
Her journey at DUT has been one of transformation, growth, resilience, and self-discovery.
When she arrived at DUT as a first-year student she had entered the institution with dreams, uncertainty, and a strong desire to build a better future for herself. Looking back today, she can confidently say that DUT has shaped her into the person and a leader she is today.
Throughout her academic journey, she experienced both personal and professional growth. DUT became more than just an institution of higher learning for her; it became a space that allowed Slindile to discover her strengths, develop confidence, and realise her full potential.
The DUT values and principles that she associates are integrity, academic excellence, accountability, and transparency. As a former academic tutor and student leader, she has always believed that leadership requires one to lead by example.
“It is impossible to advocate for academic excellence without embodying those principles personally,’’ she added.
One of the greatest challenges she has experienced was balancing leadership responsibilities with academic commitments. Serving within student leadership structures such as the SRC and various student organisations demanded significant time, energy, and emotional commitment.
“There were moments of pressure, exhaustion, and sacrifice, particularly while trying to maintain academic excellence alongside leadership duties. However, those experiences taught me discipline, resilience, accountability, and effective time management. They also strengthened my belief that leadership and academic excellence can coexist when one remains focused and intentional about their goals,’’ she said.
Despite these responsibilities, she constantly reminded herself that her primary reason for attending university was to obtain an education and secure a better future. She had to develop strong time-management skills and discipline in order to maintain academic excellence while fulfilling leadership responsibilities.
Another deeply personal challenge was the loss of my mother. Losing her at a young age had changed her perspective on life and taught her the importance of independence and resilience. She added that although her absence remains painful, it has also became one of her greatest motivations to succeed.
One of Slindile’s greatest aspirations is to obtain a doctoral degree before the age of 30. She strongly believes that education is a lifelong journey and that continuous learning is essential for both personal and professional development.
Sharing her advised to first years who wish to walk the same path as her, Slindile says they must surround themselves with the right people. She added that being surrounded by individuals who believed in academic excellence and personal growth positively influenced one’s mindset and ambitions.
Pictured: Slindile Ximba, former Student Representative Council (SRC) Academic Officer.
Photography: S’bonelo Dlamini
Vukani Langa
