Naledi Masakala, who during her course years served as a House Committee, Sports Committee and Student Residence Assistance and is now an Administrative Assistant at Student Housing at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). She graduated Cum Laude and the Dean’s Merit Award at DUT’s 2022 Virtual Autumn Graduation, today, 16 May 2022.

For Masakala, her goal from her first year of study, which she even wrote it down on a piece of paper in 2018; was to receive Cum Laude. She believes her course of study will prepare her to have her own, successful business one day.

“Throughout the course, problems arose frequently, making it difficult for me to achieve my goal.  During challenges I assumed I had failed on achieving my down written goal and gave up on it – until my friend informed me that she had received Cum Laude and advised me to check mine. I cannot believe it – I still visit my student portal now and again to see if it’s actually there or if the University is playing a joke on me,” she mentioned ecstatically.

Masakala, who is from Matatiele,said  that it has been a long road to her achieving her goal.

“The life lessons I have learned have been powerful; one must choose their companions carefully, and even when there’s a lot going on around you, never forget the reason why you came to varsity in the first place, always remember where you are coming from (background), and never lose focus of your journey ahead,” she expressed.

She conveyed that a person’s journey is their own alone.

“Always remember to mind your own business at all times, pray, love yourself, be respectful and humble,” she stressed.

In terms of challenges that Masakala had experienced, her major challenge was in 2020 and 2021 with lockdown restrictions where contact classes were suspended.

“Obviously, it created an opportunity to have classes in virtual which is the new way of studying.  It also prepares student to be able to learn virtual should they want to continue studying whilst working,” she added.

Masakala is also currently studying for her Advanced Diploma in Business Administration.

Going forward, Maskala is aiming to being   a successful businesswoman who can own her own restaurant in Durban and Johannesburg.

Her advice to a first-year students who want to embark in the same career is that any success depends on the effort that one puts in.

“Choose your friends wisely and do make mistake but importantly learn from your own mistakes,” she said.

Pictured: Naledi Masakala

Waheeda Peters