Despite all hurdles, four exceptional individuals proudly graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences specialising in Business Administration at the Durban University of Technology 2025 Autumn Graduation Ceremony on Wednesday, 21 May 2025. The grand session was held at the Olive Convention Centre (OCC) in Durban. These achievements marked the results of years of hard work and dedication, as they finally reaped the rewards of their sleepless nights and perseverance.
Helena Boakye, Francis Gray-deh, Bongani Qwabe, and Inock Siziba have successfully completed their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management Sciences specialisation in Business Administration, a milestone in their development through education.
Dr Helena Boakye’s dissertation, looked at the influence of logistics management on food security in Ghana.
Reading her summary was Head of Department (HOD) at DUT, Professor Dumisani Zondo, who is from the Department of Entrepreneurial Studies and Management. Her study evaluated the impact of logistics management on food security, focusing on the effectiveness of storage, transportation, and packaging logistics used at the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) warehouses or logistics infrastructure.
Dr Bongani Qwabe, a 39-year-old lecturer, could not contain his excitement upon receiving his doctoral degree. He reflected on his remarkable journey at DUT, saying, “I started my first year here in 2008, and it had been an amazing journey,” he expressed.
He further described his PhD journey as bumpy and very challenging, sharing how difficult it had been, in terms of juggling lesson planning, teaching, and research responsibilities alongside his own studies as a lecturer.
Dr Qwabe reflected that pursuing a PhD is a challenging journey. After graduating with his master’s in 2016, he vowed to continue his academic journey, motivated by his earlier achievement of earning his master’s degree with Cum Laude and the Dean’s Merit award.
Dr Francis Gray-Deh’s gave some context on his thesis which focuses on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in selected rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
“To assist in ensuring rural KZN SME survival and growth, improved comprehension of these elements was sought. Rural SMEs operate under conditions different from their urban counterparts, thus their business features, individual EO favourable behaviours, external and internal environments, and resources available for rural entrepreneurship were determined,” he said.
Dr Inoch Siziba’s thesis explored the closures of theological institutions in Zimbabwe, focusing on the role of organisational memory in promoting institutional sustainability. The research revealed that non-compliance with regulatory requirements was the primary cause of closures, a problem affecting institutions globally.
All in all, the graduates celebrated their remarkable achievements, marking their years of hard work and dedication. Their journey served as a reflection to the power of perseverance as they embark on new chapters in their careers.
Pictured: Proud DUT PhD’s wearing their graduation regalia at the DUT 2025 Autumn Graduation ceremony.
Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini
Phiwayinkosi Sibiya
