If one has a supportive family, one is destined for greatness. Sylvia Khumalo from Mthunzini in the Northen part of KwaZulu-Natal has dedicated her remarkable success to her parents for their unwavering support and pushing her beyond limits.

She graduated Cum Laude with Dean’s Merit Award for Postgraduate Diploma in Tourism at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, 22 May 2025 at Olive Convention Centre (OCC) in Durban.

“Graduated cum laude with the Deans Merit Award is not an easy task. I would like to thank my mother Ivy Smith, and my dad Elijah Khumalo, thank you so much for giving me support and pushing me all the way to where I am today. I would have not done it without your support. I really appreciate you so much,’’ she described.

What motivates Khumalo to continue pursuing her academics in the tourism sector with excellence, is that she is very concerned about the tourism sector itself. She wants to make a change and pour in her ideologies that can uplift the tourism sector.

Additionally, apply her knowledge in research to solve economic issues to develop tourism sector. In the future she sees herself as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of South African Tourism one day.

It has never been an easy journey, juggling up between work, studies and personal matters was a challenging factor in her academic journey. “Like they always say, working hard and believing in yourself will yield good results,” she said.

This is her third qualification and currently she is pursuing her master’s in management sciences and is already eyeing for PhD in tourism.

To first years who wishes to embark on the same journey Khumalo said “It is doable,  if I can do it means you can do it as well,’’ she concluded.

Pictured: Sylvia Khumalo.

Photographer: Sibonelo Dlamini.

Vukani Langa.