Graduation 2025
Personal trials a source of strength, resilience
12 September 2025 | Story Kamva Somdyala. Photos Lerato Maduna. Read time 5 min.
“This degree is more than a qualification; it’s the first master’s degree in my family from the University of Cape town (UCT). I am from a village called Emgoshongweni in rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), and even in my village this degree means a lot. It’s a symbol of persistence, growth and community.”
Matholi Hlophe, an area maintenance manager at UCT, walked the graduation stage for her master’s in property studies at the Sarah Baartman Hall on Monday, 8 September, as family, friends, and colleagues, including her Properties and Services department (P&S) director, watched on. Matholi describes herself as a “dedicated professional with a passion for continuous learning and personal growth”.
“I come from an underprivileged village in KZN. I had no school shoes from Grade 1 to Grade 9. My late mom was a single parent who was selling biscuits at the school gate to feed me and my three other siblings. I am the oldest daughter born with three boys and I’ve spent the past few years balancing a full-time career while pursuing my master’s degree,” said Matholi.
“It took me five years to get to this point, and it has involved deep academic engagement, late nights, and a lot of personal growth along the way. I lost a lot of family members in the past five years of my studies. I believe we are all shaped by the challenges we face, and in my case, personal trials have been a major source of strength and resilience. They’ve taught me perseverance, humility, and the importance of showing up.”
Matholi profiled UCT’s highly specialised infrastructure in her research, titled, “Challenges of maintaining highly specialised infrastructure facilities at an institution of higher learning in South Africa”. “One of the most exciting aspects was connecting with peers and lecturers who brought different perspectives and experiences. I also loved diving deep into research and topics that are close to my heart. The sense of intellectual stimulation and achievement has been truly energising,” she said.
“I’ve learned to look at problems more critically and to embrace complexity. I now understand the importance of interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration. More than anything, I’ve gained confidence in my ability to contribute meaningfully to my field as a maintenance manager and in real estate development.”
Matholi has been at UCT for a decade, working as an area maintenance manager for other campuses and has over the years observed improving standards at the university. “I have seen positive shifts in how the institution engages with students, particularly in terms of digital learning, inclusivity and support structures. There’s a growing sense of community, and I’m proud to have been part of that evolution. UCT has provided an environment that fosters academic excellence and critical thinking. The support from the faculty, access to resources, and encouragement to challenge the status quo made all the difference. I also appreciated how responsive the university was to the unique needs of postgraduates, especially during times of uncertainty,” she added.
The single mother to a 13-year-old daughter, who enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and jogging on the treadmill at the gym, credits her own discipline for where she is now with her studies. “Time-blocking and goal-setting each week helped me stay on track without burning out.”
Unstoppable
This latest achievement for Matholi is for those whose belief in her never wavered, “and to everyone who held space for me during moments of doubt”. It is not surprising then that to capture this moment, the song “Unstoppable” by Sia is her song of choice.
Matholi hopes her efforts inspire others to pursue their goals, even when the path isn’t straightforward, regardless of the background and upbringing. “If I can do it, so can they.”
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Spring 2025 Graduation
The University of Cape Town (UCT) hosted graduation ceremonies from Monday, 8 September until Wednesday, 10 September 2025. The ceremonies were livestreamed on the website and UCT’s Facebook page (recommended for mobile devices like cell phones and tablets), and the video recordings will be available on this feature page and UCT’s YouTube channel as soon as possible after the event.
Graduation news
Graduation news
The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Chancellor Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe and Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela urged graduates at the spring graduation to use their education to enrich not only their own lives but also their communities, stressing the importance of values such as compassion, respect, and integrity in a volatile world.
25 Sep 2025
The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) spring graduation was marked by historic milestones, including the awarding of honorary doctorates to four distinguished individuals and the official renaming of Jameson Hall to Sarah Baartman Hall, among other notable highlights.
25 Sep 2025
Inspirational graduates
Our stories: inspirational graduates
The UCT News team has profiled a cross-section of inspirational graduands whose stories have inspired us. To all those we haven’t been able to feature, we’d like to say: each one of you is an inspiration – to your university, your families and your communities. We wish you every success in the future.
Ceremony recordings
Ceremony recordings
Graduation programmes
The names of all of the spring 2025 qualifiers are listed in the graduation ceremony programmes. Congratulations to everyone who has graduated.
We are excited to see our UCT graduates unleash their potential for a fair and just society. Thank you for joining the celebrations on social media by using the #UCTGrad2025 hashtag.
Social media elements#UCTGrad2025 – social media elements
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