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A Double Dose Of Happiness For Graduating Identical Twins’ Family

A Double Dose Of Happiness For Graduating Identical Twins’ Family

Thakane and Takhanyane Sehloho do everything together. They shop together and wear the same outfits; they listen to the same music and very soon, they will be graduating together.

Sharing the same interests is common for these identical twin sisters and the pair is very quick to dismiss the suspicion that this comes as a result of the influence of one twin sister on the other. “We are practically one person. We share almost everything. It is never a compromise but just a (mutual) feeling,” Thakane assures.

Tomorrow April 11, 2013, will be a memorable day for the Sehloho family as their beloved twins will each receive a Bachelor of Education at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Indumiso Campus.

“We are excited; we’ve waited so long for this moment. Our entire family is also very happy, especially our parents, because they always wanted to see us succeed,” said Thakane

An accomplishment of this kind is commonly met with a celebration. The Sehlohos will also host a huge party in celebration of the pair’s achievement at their home.

The 24-year-old Sehloho twins hail from rural Edendale in Pietermaritzburg. They lived a humble life, surviving on their parents’ meager salaries. “Our mom is a saleswoman at Asmalls Clothing Store in Pietermaritzburg and our dad works as a driver at Afrox in the same city,” said Thakane. Given their circumstances, the twins say their parents ensured that their basic needs, as well as those of their three siblings, were met.

After high school, the twins were steadfast on becoming engineers. They studied mechanical engineering (Nated course) at Umgungundlovu FET College in Pietermaritzburg. But they soon recognised their struggle to perform well in this course. That was when they decided to pursue another career they were passionate about: teaching.

They enrolled for a Bachelor of Education at DUT’s Indumiso Campus. Here too, the sisters were inseparable. They sat next to each other during lectures, at break; everywhere. Even their academic performance was similar. Looking at their senior certificates, you’d think one is a replica of the other, Thakanyane laughs. Where you find the symbol “C” in one certificate, you are guaranteed to find an identical symbol in the other. “We studied together,” Thakanyane affirmed. And they applied the same study principles even at DUT. “Where we had a free lecture, we used that as time to study. Even on weekends, we would spend about two hours studying and then relax,” Thakanyane said.

Hard work, discipline and working hand-in-hand with lecturers earned the pair a few distinctions in their first, second and third year. They said they feel indebted to two of their lecturers, Raymond Holmes and Edmund Conradie, who taught them their two majors mechanical technology as well as engineering, graphics and design respectively.

However, this accomplishment would not have been possible without the financial aid from Funza Lushaka Bursary. “Our parents would not have afforded to pay for our education so we decided to apply for this bursary,” said Thakanyane. The bursary is given to eligible candidates who aspire to study towards a teaching qualification. It covers tuition fees, allowances and study material. Upon completion, a candidate is required to teach at a chosen public school for the total number of years for which they had received the bursary. The twins have been placed at different high schools. Thakane teaches at Inkosi Umdibaniso Comprehensive High School in High Flats while Thakanyane works at Ixopo High School. They both teach Engineering, Graphics and Design in grades 10 to 12. Thakanyane also takes grade 10 learners for mechanical technology.

Living apart is an unfavourable situation for the pair who has spent most of their lives together. Yet, they are grateful to God for all their blessings: parents, family and now their jobs. They visit each other often as their high schools fall under the same region.

Asked whether they do not view their separation as a blessing, especially considering the possibility of marriage and family, the twin sisters simply said marriage is not on their minds right now- although they would not mind bearing twins too some day.

– Naledi Hlefane

Pictured: Thakane and Takhanyane Sehloho, identical twins who will receive a Bachelor of Education at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Indumiso Campus tomorrow April 11, 2013.

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