The Durban University of Technology (DUT) student, S’nethemba Silindile Dlamini (23) from Ixopo graduated Cum Laude in Diploma in Accounting this morning (Friday), 26 May 2023 at the Olive Convention Centre.

Her journey at DUT began in 2020 when she enrolled for her Diploma in Accounting. Dlamini believes that her journey has brought lots of personal and academic growth. Making friends that had same values as her was the best thing she ever did for herself.

Dlamini is proud of herself, because she knows that it took her a lot to get here. She even doubted her capabilities of obtaining this qualification, sometimes she even found herself calling back home telling them that she wants to give up but they encouraged her to hold on.

She comes from a very supportive family, when she told them that she was graduating Cum Laude they were over the moon. Her family was just overjoyed at the mere fact that she passed all her modules, graduating Cum laude was just a bonus to them.

Accounting has always been Dlamini’s first choice, obtaining a diploma is a setting for her academic foundation. Back in high school she enjoyed working in numbers which motivated her to choose Accounting in university.

Speaking on the challenges that she encountered during her academic journey she said, “Adapting to university life was one of the issues that I faced, that is where I knew I was on my own, I had to make my own decisions. Another challenge that I came across was adjusting to online learning, this was a curveball I would not have foreseen. When I had been accustomed to online learning, I had to return to normal campus classes and examinations, these changes were difficult and foreign to her but I overcame them.”

Dlamini is planning to study further until she reaches a PhD level as she believes that the sky is the limit. She is currently enrolled for her Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting at DUT.

She advised first year students to not allow outside forces to deter them from their goals. Dlamini said even if the going gets tough, students should not accept failure, and must dust themselves and try again.

Pictured: S’nethemba Silindile Dlamini

Nomvelo Zulu