“I am ecstatic and humbled by such an achievement. The sacrifices that I had to make, including neglecting of my family duties, has paid off academically. I must thank my family for supporting me in my difficult times,” said the proud Jayendran Maduramuthu Pillay.

The Pietermaritzburg resident obtained cum laude and a Dean’s Merit award in the Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Public Management. He graduated on Wednesday, 13 September 2017, at the Fred Crookes Sports Centre at Steve Biko Campus.

Pillay, who is physically challenged, said the experience of studying at the Durban University of Technology was awe-inspiring which motivated him as well as prompted his interest of reading, learning, acquiring new knowledge and information. “Being at DUT has broadened my academic horizons by satisfying my appetite for continuous acquisition of knowledge, which I found cannot be fully accommodated elsewhere. The lecturers raised my horizons and inspired me to look further upward. My circle of friends broadened and I came into contact with people from different walks of life with different viewpoints and life experiences which enriched my life whilst at the college,” he added.

Pillay further said that his success is also due to have great role models like his maternal grandfather, a journalist who captured the history of the people mainly from KwaZulu-Natal, who had a phenomenal memory and a fund of stories that kept him enthralled. Pillay, who is currently employed at SASSA as a supervisor at a local office in Raisethorpe, said his future plans include playing a greater role in the management of SASSA.

Pictured: Jayendran Maduramuthu Pillay

Waheeda Peters