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39 DUT Excellence 2025 | Semester 1Head of Department in Applied Law Dr Thandiwe Khumalo received a standing ovation while being conferred her Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences Specialising in Business Law at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) 2025 Autumn Graduation Ceremony, which took place at the Olive Convention Centre in May 2025.Dr Khumalo, who confessed that her degree was achieved in honour of her late mom, smiled from ear to ear upon the conferment. %u201cUsually I am the one calling names on the stage but today, I am ecstatic that I actually received what I%u2019d worked so hard for. I want to thank everyone for their support over the years. Today, I am very happy. I am Dr Khumalo,%u201d she said.The inspirational academic doctor shared that she hopes to be a positive influence to her students.%u201cMany of them grew up in front of me, asking me questions on how to do their PhD degree. Now I tell them to please make sure they obtain their PhD, as since I have now it, I can guide them on their journey,%u201d she said.Speaking about her academic research, Dr Khumalo%u2019s thesis is on Public Perceptions Regarding the Management and Corporate Governance of State-owned Companies (SOCs) in South Africa in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. She indicated through her research that despite contributing 17% to South Africa%u2019s GDP in 2023, SOCs faced persistent governance failures, financial mismanagement and poor service delivery. Her findings revealed widespread dissatisfaction, with concerns over inefficiency, lack of transparency and weak accountability, leading to declining public trust.ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS WILL ALLOW dr khumalo TO MAKE A LASTING IMPACT ON HER STUDENTSHer recommendations highlighted the need for transparent decisionmaking, improved operational efficiency and stricter financial controls. She provided insights into addressing governance weaknesses and restoring confidence in SOCs by drawing on corporate governance theories. Ultimately, her research underscored the urgent need for reforms to enhance governance practices, improve service delivery and rebuild public trust in these vital institutions.In terms of juggling her academic and family life, Dr Khumalo said that with support from her family and the wonderful staff at DUT, who actually do their work without supervision to make her life much easier, her quest for knowledge is not yet over. She had given herself another three years to obtain her professorship at DUT.Waheeda PetersPictured: Head of Department in Applied Law Dr Thandiwe Khumalo.