“I feel so honoured to have achieved this award and thank all those who had supported me through my academic journey. I am just so excited as I had never expected these accolades because I did not get many distinctions in my first year,” said the delighted Alungile Sikanisi.

The 22-year-old Sikanisi from Umtata, who is the first person in his family to study Civil Engineering at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), graduated with a National Diploma in Civil Engineering from the Durban University of Technology on Wednesday, 13 September 2017. He graduated during the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment graduation ceremony at 5 pm.

For Sikanisi, studying at DUT was a life-changing experience and had been completely different from his life at home. He went through many challenges and had a lot of work to do in a short period of time, but through it all, what knowledge he had acquired through his studies, was very beneficial to him.

Sikanisi hopes to continue his academic journey and do his Degree of Bachelor in Civil Engineering Specialising in Structural Engineering, in 2018. He recommends DUT as the best University for students to come and study Civil Engineering because it offers modules and courses which are not offered by other higher institutions.

-Waheeda Peters