At just 22 years old, Luyanda S’gcino Zulu from Mbongolwane in Eshowe has turned hardships into triumph after graduating Cum Laude with a Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Business Analysis during the 2026 DUT Autumn Graduation ceremony at Indumiso Campus Hall IN Pietermaritzburg on Monday, 11 May 2026.
Coming from a financially challenged background, her first encounter with financial exclusion at university almost forced her to abandon her studies before they had even begun. The pressure of pursuing higher education without guaranteed financial support became one of the most difficult moments of her life.
Despite the uncertainty, conversations with her family reminded her of the value of education and encouraged her to continue fighting for her future.
“I decided that I would push through uncertainty because I understood that education was my pathway to changing my circumstances,” she said.
Although the start of her university journey was far from perfect, her academic performance quickly began speaking louder than her struggles. Over the years, she transformed not only academically but personally, becoming actively involved in leadership, debates, spellathons, modelling competitions, hackathons, and various academic development programmes.
These experiences pushed her beyond her comfort zone and allowed her to discover confidence and purpose within herself.
A major turning point in her journey came in 2024 when she became a Student Peer Helper and Educator under Student Counselling and Health. The role became deeply personal to her as it allowed her to support fellow students struggling with mental health and personal challenges.
“This experience taught me that everyone carries unseen struggles and that authentic leadership begins with empathy, self-awareness, and healing,” she explained.
Her passion for student development and leadership continued to grow as she later served as House Committee Chairperson before eventually being appointed Deputy President of the Central Housing Executive under Student Housing and Residence Life.
Through these leadership roles, Luyanda worked closely on student-focused initiatives that promoted academic success, wellness, and holistic student development. She described meeting university leadership, including the Vice-Chancellor, as one of the most memorable experiences of her student journey.
“What leadership taught me most is that a good leader must remain compassionate, humble, and resilient,” she said.
Beyond residence leadership, she also participated in institutional structures and programmes including the Student Representative Council, iQhakaza Ladies Network, Innobiz, Vuna Leadership Academy, and the Green Campus Initiative. These opportunities helped sharpen her leadership abilities, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, qualities she believes are equally essential within the ICT industry.
Despite balancing leadership responsibilities and academics, Luyanda remained committed to excellence in her studies. Her hard work earned her the Dean of Students Prestigious Gold Award at the Student Services Awards as well as the Student Academic Excellence Award at the Vice-Chancellor’s Institutional Awards in 2025.
Graduating Cum Laude now stands as a symbol of her perseverance, discipline, and determination to rise above her circumstances.
“I chose not to be defined by my struggles, but by my consistency, effort, and willingness to grow,” she said.
Luyanda’s passion for ICT began at a young age after being exposed to computers and becoming curious about how systems functioned. Today, she is part of a Work Integrated Learning programme where she is gaining valuable industry experience while preparing for a future in systems, technology, and artificial intelligence.
She hopes to continue her studies and eventually pursue both a Master’s degree and a PhD in ICT.
Encouraging first-year students, Luyanda advised them to remain authentic, disciplined, and intentional from the start of their university journey.
“Be curious, consistent, and willing to seek opportunities. Participate in coding communities, hackathons, internships, and projects that challenge you to grow. In ICT, growth comes from what you build, what you learn, and how consistently you push yourself beyond your comfort zone.”
Pictured: Luyanda Zulu.
Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini.
Sinamile Sithole
