Durban born and raised in Durban, Manqoba Nkosi (22), was over the moon upon receiving his Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology in Internet of Things at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) 2026 Autumn Gradution ceremony at the Olive Convention Centre on Tuesday, 19 May 2026.
Graduating with his academic qualification means a lot to Manqoba. “All the hard work and countless hours I put into studying actually paid off. Not only is it a proud moment for myself but also for my parents. It’s a small way of showing gratitude towards my parents for always making sure that I got everything I needed to do well in my academics,” he expressed proudly.
For Manqoba, his journey at DUT started in 2023; after matriculating in 2021, he had applied to study at DUT in 2022 (Diagnostic Radiography) but unfortunately did not get a response in time. After not getting accepted in time, he opted to study at Berea Technical College for his Diploma in Information Technology. After a year at Berea Technical College, he felt he needed to go to a place where he would be able to challenge himself and expand his knowledge and skills.
“DUT was that place. There was a brand-new IT course being introduced at DUT called the Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology in Internet of Things, the very first IoT course in South Africa. I applied and got accepted and that’s how the journey started at DUT,” he replied.
From there onwards, it was honestly a beautiful journey, in his first year he was introduced to a robotics club at the 4IR lab, led by two great leaders, Mr Fanie Ndlovu and Ms Ugeshni Moodley), who played a vital role in his success, not only in DUT but in his growth as a tech enthusiast. “The lab under their supervision helped me grow my skills a lot quicker and in a better way. I will forever be grateful for their teachings and guidance throughout my university journey. Also, a big thank you to all my lecturers who provided great teachings and helped me expand my knowledge,” he shared happily.
For Manqoba, technology and the course being IoT driven was a big bonus because everything nowadays is basically connected to the internet. “I was curious to learn how everything connects to the internet and how I can start playing around and build some amazing things,” he added.
Currently, Manqoba is a wireless technical engineer at Huawei, and says that technology is a fast-paced industry, and that there’s always something new to learn. His advice to future techno geeks is: “You need to be able to adapt and always grow. Put yourself out there and show up every time. Have passion for what you do, what you are studying because there will be times where you won’t be motivated to carry on, this is where the passion comes in,” he shared.
Manqoba aims to continue learning and gaining experience in this industry and will also study further and has made a promise to become an academic doctor, a goal he has promised to fulfil for his parents and for himself.
Pictured: Manqoba Nkosi
Photography: Khulasande Tshayile
Waheeda Peters
