The Department of Human Resources Management (HRM) at the Durban University of Technology successfully hosted its second annual student awards ceremony, recognising outstanding student achievements. The event took place at the Gateway Hotel in Umhlanga on Friday, 9 May 2025, and celebrated the exceptional performances of its students.
The ceremony aimed to honor and celebrate the achievements of students from the HRM department, while also motivating students to strive for excellence. The excitement was obvious, led by Programme Director, Dr Sifiso Myeni, a lecturer in the department. Dr Myeni invited the lecturer from his department , Dr Baphiwe Daweti to welcome guests.
Dr Daweti began by extending a warm welcome to the lecturers, adaptive students, and esteemed guests who had gathered to celebrate the student awards, expressing gratitude for their attendance. “Our philosophy as educators is to empower students to harness creative approaches to transform society, aligning with ENVISION 2030. The HRM department at DUT takes pride in unlocking students potential to drive change through entrepreneurship and community engagement,” Dr Daweti explained.
A Lecturer, Mrs Mercillene Mathews emphasised that the awards ceremony was not just about recognising outstanding student performance, but also about setting a example for future students. She highlighted that DUT’s HRM students possess distinctive skills that enable them to excel in their profession. Mathews specifically acknowledged talented students like Lwazi Mtshali and Ayanda Ngcobo, noting that while there are many HR professionals globally, exceptional ones are rare. Therefore, she stressed the importance of nurturing students to integrate into the workplace.
Nokukhanya Hlophe, Human Resources Management Officer at eThekwini Municipality, congratulates the awardees for their outstanding performance. She mentioned that dealing with people requires a lot of skills, patience, and wisdom, and that the invention of robots wont replace people’s jobs. Hlophe emphasised that students must understand key terms like diversity and inclusion, as most companies are aligning with transformation.
She shared some tips on succeeding in the HRM field, starting with the importance of constructing a strong curriculum vitae (CV) and effective time management, such as arriving early for interviews. Additionally, Hlophe highlighted the importance of maintaining a professionalism in workplace, dress code, and having a clean social media presence to increase employability.
The student award ceremony recognised excellence in three categories: Tutor Awards, Class Representatives, and Best Performers.The Best Performers award recipients were Mpho Ethel Diaho, Karabo Majola, Zothando Khulu, Luyanda Mngomezulu, Asande Ndlovu, Bianca Arumugam, Kwazi Gumbi, Thalente Mahaye, Noluthando Dlamini, and Netrisha Pillay.
In their message, HRM students Amahle Ngcobo and Zothando Khulu expressed gratitude for the opportunities they had received in the department, where they had acquired valuable skills to prepare them for the workplace. They advised fellow students to prioritise self care and affectionately referred to their lecturers as “parents,” acknowledging the guidance and support they had received. The students also thanked their lecturers for helping them grow both personally and academically.
In his closing remarks, Dr Daweti expressed gratitude to the guest speakers for sharing her insights into the HRM field. He thanked Mrs Mathews for motivating the students and outlining the event’s purpose, appreciating her dedication as a long-standing department member. Dr Daweti also thanked the performers and praised Dr Myeni for his exceptional leadership and ability to connect with young people. Finally, he acknowledged the organisers, particularly Nqobile Sibisi, for their tireless efforts that made the ceremony successful.
Picture: Student receiving their awards for working hard and excelling on academics.
Phiwayinkosi Sibiya
