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HE AIMED FOR CUM LAUDE FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS JOURNEY AT DUT

HE AIMED FOR CUM LAUDE FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS JOURNEY AT DUT

As he set foot for the first time at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Siyabonga Dube from Emona in Tongaat aimed to be counted amongst the best students in his class.   

Dube (20) has made this a reality as he graduated with Cum Laude and a Dean’s Merit Award for his Bachelor of Technology Degree in Mechanical Engineering at DUT’s Virtual Autumn Graduation 2021 on Thursday, 27 May 2021.   

He has made his family proud as he is the first person to graduate in his family.   

“Since I was a first-year student, I always aimed for Cum Laude. So, when I found out that I obtained my goal, I was ecstatic because I knew that all my hard work has paid off. It was the Dean’s Merit Award that I was not expecting, when I first saw that I also had the Dean’s Merit, I was in incredulity (as I still am). I am very competitive, and I cannot take defeat very well, which is good for me because I always give it my best in everything that I do, so I can triumph,” said the ecstatic Dube.   

He highlighted that it was not an easy journey as he had faced several challenges and during the final stage of his studies he got sick and was admitted in hospital.   

“In November 2020, I was struggling with my health and got admitted in hospital. All of that was happening amidst my assessments, but by the grace of God I was able to still excel. Engineering is not easy, sometimes we had a pile of assignments to complete over a short period of time. Time management was crucial. We were the first group to embark on this BET programme at DUT, it was hard for us to prepare for assessments as there were no previous assessments to practice from,” explained Dube.   

For Dube, the fun part about being a student, was the long arguments he had with his friends and classmates over the correct solutions for tutorials. He added that spending time with them (friends), learning and challenging each other was his highlight.    

With the skills and knowledge that he will gain as a Mechanical Engineer, Dube desires to one day give back to his disadvantaged community.   

Furthermore, his family was not aware what his accolades meant, however after explaining to them, they were excited, especially his mother who could not hold back her tears of joy. Dube’s motivation to excel in his studies was to ensure that his family is financially stable.    

Speaking about his future plans, Dube said: “For now my objective is to get more experience as possible, preferably in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) sector. As I want to own an HVAC company in the near future.”   

He is currently working as an Engineering Intern at Purple Rain Digital Printing and aspires to have a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in the future.   

His advice to students wanting to follow in his footsteps is that focus is far more valuable than intelligence.    

“Yes, you were accepted to study engineering that means you have all the necessary tools, but do not put that inside your head. You are there to learn, be teachable. Keep your head up and ask as many questions as possible. Engineering is exciting, we get to be exposed to many opportunities. I am living proof that with hard work and proper motivation you can excel in this field,” said Dube.   

To get good results, Dube emphasised that academic excellence requires sacrifice as he also gave up his leisure time with friends and family.

Pictured: Siyabonga Dube

Simangele Zuma

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