Caps, Gowns, and New Beginnings: UKZN’s 2025 Graduates Take the Stage

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The 2025 UKZN Autumn Graduation ceremonies commenced yesterday, marked by the vibrant atmosphere characteristic of the University’s annual celebrations.

The ceremonies serve as a testament to the Institution’s commitment to fostering innovation and success, providing a platform for students to step into the next chapter of their professional journeys.

A total of 8 116 graduands will ascend the Graduation stage to receive their hard-earned degrees across 21 ceremonies. Of these, 5 161 will receive their undergraduate degrees while 2 955 recipients will be awarded postgraduate qualifications, including 247 PhD and 629 master’s graduates.

UKZN is proud to note that women make up 65.91% of this year’s graduates - an increase of 4% from 2024. The University also celebrates an elite group of approximately 500 top achievers graduating cum laude and summa cum laude, with women once again leading the way, comprising 65.47% of this distinguished group. In addition, UKZN will honour 103 graduands with disabilities.

Among the 247 doctoral graduates this year are an 83-year-old priest, an award-winning pianist and a 27-year-old PhD candidate - showcasing the rich diversity of achievement at UKZN.

Fr Dr Pheko Matthews Thinane, the oldest graduand at this year’s Graduation, earned his PhD from the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics - marking a significant achievement in a life dedicated to faith, service and scholarship. A semi-retired Catholic priest from Gauteng who remains active in the Church, Thinane embarked on his doctoral journey after completing his memoirs. His thesis contributes valuable insight to the growing body of African theology literature.

Acclaimed jazz pianist and UKZN lecturer, Dr Sibusiso “Mash” Mashiloane - known for his award-winning contributions to South African music - completed his doctoral research on the identity of South African jazz. His research raises awareness about the richness of South Africa’s distinctive musical traditions, which reflect the country’s diverse cultures. Mashiloane’s recitals were more than explorative performances; they became musical awakenings where musicians internalised and practised jazz as a language spoken through their own accents, languages, and meanings.

At the other end of the age spectrum is 27-year-old Dr Shavani Naicker, the youngest PhD graduand in this cohort, who completed her doctorate in Applied Mathematics. Her thesis is on the “Dynamics of Spherically Symmetric Spacetimes in Lovelock Gravity”.

The 2025 ceremonies also see the College of Humanities take the honour of producing the youngest undergraduate, 20-year-old Ms Lusanda Thandolwenkosi Madondo.

Ms Normah Zondo, Executive Director: Corporate Relations, said: ‘Graduation ceremonies are longstanding rituals of passage that acknowledge the past, celebrate the present, and propel graduates towards a future filled with purpose and possibility. The University wishes all students every success in all their endeavours. The Graduation ceremonies present an excellent opportunity for the graduands to celebrate their achievements and share this moment with their families and friends.’

The Autumn ceremonies commenced on Tuesday, 6 May 2025, at the Westville campus with the College of Humanities, and will run until 16 May.

Words: NdabaOnline

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini