DUT’s ‘king of students’: Durban mom graduates with 21 distinctions

Hard-working Sinegugu Magutshwa was never seen without a book

26 July 2022 - 14:06
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Sinegugu Magutshwa graduated with 21 distinctions at the Durban University of Technology’s graduation event on Monday.
Sinegugu Magutshwa graduated with 21 distinctions at the Durban University of Technology’s graduation event on Monday.
Image: Supplied

It’s not for nothing that cum laude graduate Sinegugu Magutshwa earned the nickname “king of students” by her peers.

Despite being a young mother and facing immense financial and personal hardships, 23-year-old Magutshwa poured herself into her studies at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), where she pursued a bachelor of education degree.

On Monday Magutshwa, from Illovo, south of Durban, shed tears of joy when she graduated cum laude and was awarded the dean’s merit award for achieving 21 distinctions during her four years of study.

“I just cried when my name was called because I am the first person in my family to study at tertiary level and graduate,” she told TimesLIVE.

“When I fell pregnant in 2016 while I was still in school, I thought my life was over. It took a lot for me to return after giving birth.

“I worked hard ever since. I could not let being a teenage mother hold me back.

“I always have my books with me. I study whenever I can ... It’s just about perseverance.”

Magutshwa said she nearly gave up her studies in 2016 after she was expelled from school due to her pregnancy.

The next year she returned to complete her matric.  

“Life has never been easy on me. My father lost his job due to epilepsy. Things changed drastically at home, especially financially, as we depended on my mother, who was a domestic worker working two days in a week.”

She was accepted to study at DUT’s Midlands campus.

“The registration money was hard to raise, some of the money had to be borrowed because I had no funding.

“The NSFAS status was still pending and the money saved by my mother was not enough for a deposit, tuition, registration and residence,” said Magutshwa.

Her father died when she was in her first year of study, but despite her pain she pushed forward.

She said receiving her funding from NSFAS was her breakthrough.

“I was appointed as a tutor, both at the DUT School of Education and at the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) in the Residence Education Programme. I was tutoring and mentoring students who came after me, first and second-year students.

“I used to stay in the library day and night. Some students used to tease me and call me inkosi yabafundi, which means ‘king of students’, because every time, there was a book next to me.”

Magutshwa is now pursuing her honours degree at the University of KZN with minimal funding.

“I am taking a chance. I am now job-seeking. It’s so tough out there. I pray I find something soon.”

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.