The Department of Operations and Quality Management in the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) recently celebrated its top achievers during an awards ceremony held at the Coastlands Musgrave Hotel.
The ceremony combined elegance with celebration, showcasing academic excellence across the department. It was expertly coordinated by Mr Nkululeko Mbatha, an Administrative Assistant in the DUT Communications Unit, who praised the department for recognising the outstanding efforts of both students and staff.
Welcoming guests, Lecturer Ms Lindokuhle Ntuli highlighted the event’s purpose as celebrating student excellence and academic achievement. She emphasised that the ceremony recognised students’ hard work, dedication, and perseverance, aligning with DUT’s ENVISION2030 vision, which prioritises excellence. She encouraged students to take pride in their achievements while continuing to view excellence as an ongoing journey supported by lecturers, staff, and peers.
Delivering remarks on behalf of Interim Executive Dean Prof Matthys Swanepoel, the lecturer of Operations and Quality Management, Mr Rajendran Moodaliyar, set a reflective and celebratory tone for the Awards Day. He emphasised that the occasion was not only about recognising academic excellence but also about honouring the perseverance, growth, and dedication demonstrated by students throughout their academic journeys. He commended their efforts, noting that each award represented a story of late nights, challenges overcome, and goals achieved, and stressed that true success is driven by resilience, discipline, and passion rather than talent alone.
Guest speaker Mr Zamani Moloi delivered an inspiring and motivational address, reflecting on his journey from a DUT student to a team leader at Woolworths. He shared that his success was built on hard work, dedication, and determination, highlighting his progression from a co-operative education student to an operations controller and eventually into a leadership role. He encouraged students to stand out by expressing themselves confidently, continuously improving their skills, and making a meaningful impact wherever they go.
He further urged students to remain resilient and grounded, emphasising the importance of faith, discipline, and consistency in achieving success. “Success is not reserved for people who are lucky; it is achieved through determination,” he said, reminding students that failure is part of the journey and should not be feared. He also advised students to surround themselves with positive influences and stay focused on their purpose.
Head of Department, Prof Manduth Ramchabder, emphasised that the Awards Day celebrated not only academic excellence but also commitment. He noted that each award represented more than academic achievement, describing it as hours of discipline, moments of doubt overcome, and a sustained pursuit of excellence. He congratulated high-achieving students, class representatives, and tutors for their dedication and valuable contributions to the department.
He stressed that excellence is built through collaboration, noting that a collective commitment to quality underpins all achievements. He encouraged students to continue striving for excellence with purpose, congratulating all awardees for making the department proud.
Awards were presented to the top three students in both programmes of Operations and Quality Management across all academic levels, as well as in categories such as the Entrepreneurship Award, Class Representatives, and Tutors. Among the outstanding achievers was Blessing Akpan, who earned her Master of Philosophy in Quality Management under the supervision of Dr Raveen Rathilaal from the department. Another top achiever, Sthembile Mavundla, a Diploma in Management Sciences in Operations Management student, expressed overwhelming joy and gratitude for her achievement. She thanked her lecturers and administrative staff for their continuous support, noting that their assistance helped her through a challenging academic journey.
She described the difficulty of balancing part-time studies with demanding day and night shifts, highlighting sleepless nights, extra work, and significant sacrifice. She encouraged fellow students to persevere, emphasising that hard work pays off and that success comes through discipline, dedication, and timely submission of work.
During the Vote of Thanks, delivered by Robin Ramlagan, he congratulated the students, recognising their dedication and hard work, and noted that each award reflected excellence, perseverance, and the support of families and friends.
He also extended gratitude to the faculty and staff for their guidance and mentorship, as well as the organisers for their meticulous planning and seamless execution of the event. Special appreciation was given to guest speaker Mr Moloi and all attendees for their presence and support. He concluded by encouraging everyone to continue striving for excellence and to carry forward the spirit of achievement and growth.
Caption: Operations and quality management student and their Lecture Lindokuhle Ntuli at awards ceremony at Coastland Musgrave Hotel
Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini
Sinamile Sithole
