A strong commitment to academic excellence and a determination to make her family proud motivated Abahle Masango to graduate Cum Laude for her Diploma in Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology(DUT) Autumn Graduation ceremony held at the Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg on Monday, 11 May 2026.
Abahle (21) from Amanzimtoti in Durban graduated with distinction after obtaining her qualification through dedication, discipline and countless hours of hard work. Her achievement placed her among the top-performing adaptive graduates celebrated during the opening ceremony.
Reflecting on her academic journey, Abahle said striving for excellence became her greatest source of motivation throughout her studies.
“Academic excellence is important to me because I always aim to produce high-quality, meaningful work and I push myself to perform at my best academically. Graduating Cum Laude reflected my commitment to the DUT value of excellence. I am very proud of myself and I am happy that my hard work has paid off,” said Abahle.
Another DUT value Abahle resonated with is integrity as she believes honesty and ethical behaviour are essential in both her academics and the accounting professional environment. The challenges she faced as a student were mainly with her mental health and committing to studying even on days she did not want to.
“Another challenge I faced was adapting to the fast pace and high expectations of university life. However, these challenges taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of staying focused on long-term goals despite the setbacks,” added Abahle.
She is excited to join the list of professionals among her family. She shared that her family was extremely proud and happy to witness her obtain her first qualification. Abahle revealed that her family is filled with smart, hard-working individuals. She believes this achievement was a stepping stone in becoming like them.
She plans to study further as her aim is to continue developing her technical knowledge, gain professional experience and eventually move into leadership or specialist roles within the accounting field.Pictured: Abahle Masango.
Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini.
Simangele Zuma
