Sibusisiwe Phoswa was filled with mixed emotions as she finally obtained her first qualification from the Durban University of Technology (DUT), after a 15-year delay.

Phoswa (36) from Taylor’s Halt in Pietermaritzburg was emotional as she walked the DUT 2025 Autumn Graduation stage to obtain her long awaited National Diploma in Accounting. Her graduation ceremony was held at the Indumiso campus in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 13 May 2025.

She wished her late mom, Mrs Duduzile Phoswa, who was a former Head of Department of Public Management, Law and Economics at the DUT Riverside campus was there, to celebrate this milestone with her.

Speaking about finally getting a chance to graduate, Phoswa said: “I am speechless, I was filled with lots of emotions. I wished my mother was here to see me honour her dream. She was a lecturer at DUT Riverside campus, and she passed away in September 2021. She was my motivation. She used to always tell me that she had several qualifications. She insisted on me also having a qualification, saying that she would not rest until I got one.”

Phoswa’s DUT journey was a tough one. Over the years she could not finish her National Diploma due to illness. She said when she felt like giving up, her mother was the one encouraging her to go back to DUT to finish what she had started.

“I enrolled at DUT in 2009 for a National Diploma in Human Resources, however, I had to drop out after falling pregnant with my first daughter. In 2011, I went back to DUT after enrolling for my National Diploma in Accounting, which was the qualification that I finally obtained from DUT. I used to study for only six months and get very sick, being in and out of hospital. I would get admitted into hospital for months and when I got better, I would go back to DUT. But I would end up not writing my exams due to my illness. It was a tough journey but giving up was not an option for me. I owed it to myself and my mother,” said Phoswa.

Another motivating factor for her was that her late mother only studied at a later stage of her life, after she was married and had three children. She realised that if her mother could do it, so could she. Phoswa revealed that her mother passed away while she was in a process of completing her PhD, saying her Diploma was just a first of the few qualifications she plans to attain.

Her proud father, Mr Sipho Phoswa (60) said he was excited to see his last born finally graduating after years of hardship and illness.

“She is our blessing. Her journey was a tough one, but we are grateful that she has finally succeeded. It was her late mother’s wish for her to at least have one qualification in her hand. I am happy that she has honoured her mother’s wish. I wish for her three daughters to look up to her and even reach greater heights,” said Mr Phoswa.

Pictured: Sibusisiwe Phoswa was grateful to finally obtain her long awaited qualification from DUT.

Photographer: S’boonelo Dlamini.

Simangele Zuma