Graduation 2023
It’s a wrap: Week-long graduation festival draws to an end
05 April 2023 | Story Helen Swingler. Photos Michael Hammond. Read time 9 min.
The Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment (EBE) capped seven doctoral candidates, as well as 98 master’s and 137 honours candidates among their 686 graduands on the closing day of a bumper 15-ceremony, a joyful week of celebration in the Sarah Baartman Hall.
Among the highlights were the awards of 56 PhDs to doctoral graduands across UCT’s six academic faculties. In addition, honorary doctorates were awarded to climate change champion Dr Debra Roberts and Her Excellency ǂXuu Katrina Esau, a San language and culture teacher and activist.
To accommodate the university’s eye-popping March total tally of 5 214 graduands, multiple faculty graduation sessions were held through the week. The morning’s EBE ceremony saw the first of a total cohort of 686 graduate in the first of three ceremonies.
As Interim Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Professor Daya Reddy said in a 23 March communiqué to the campus community, graduations are the highlight of UCT’s academic calendar and the culmination of much hard work, dedication and resilience – as well as the support of a community of family, guardians and friends.
Emeritus Professor Reddy also recognised the efforts of staff who worked flat out behind the scenes to ensure a seamless graduation.
Music and voice talents
Continuing the proud tradition of including the “home-grown” vocal and musical talent of UCT’s South African College of Music (SACM) and Opera UCT, the graduation procession was led by Sky Dladla and BlackRoots Marimbas. The Gugulethu band is made up of UCT students and alumni and recently returned from Germany, where they participated in an instrument-building reality show. Members Keketso Bolofo and Ntombekhaya Halam graduated last Wednesday.
The procession prelude music and the national anthem were accompanied on the organ by Dale de Windt, who also graduated last Wednesday. De Windt is completing a postgraduate diploma in organ performance.
Pianist Seiren Wi accompanied bass Reuben Mbonambi, who sang “I got plenty o’ nuttin” from the musical Porgy & Bess by George Gershwin. Reuben graduated last Wednesday. He came third in the International Belvedere Competition last year and will head to Europe in August to continue his studies.
And in a fitting message to the morning’s cohort, master’s graduate and imbongi (praise singer) Siphokazi Jonas delivered a rousing praise poem, reminding graduands to hold onto their dreams.
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Graduation March 2023
The University of Cape Town (UCT) hosted 15 graduation ceremonies from Monday, 27 March to Friday, 31 March 2023.
All the ceremonies were streamed live on the UCT news website as well as through the university’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for those who were not able to attend in person. Video recordings of the ceremonies are available on the UCT news website as well as on the university’s YouTube channel.
Download the full ceremony schedule. | Read more about graduation.
We have enjoyed spending this time of celebration with our students – who are now graduates – and we wish them all the best as they go out to make a difference in the world.
Graduation news
Video clips
Ceremony recordings
Graduation programmes
The names of all of the March 2023 qualifiers are listed in the graduation ceremony programmes. Congratulations to everyone graduating this March.
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.
Cwenga Koyana recently addressed the UNESCO and Women@Dior Global Conference in Paris on her social-impact project, Talitha Together, which won the programme’s Dream for Change competition in 2022.
27 Mar 2023 - 8 min read
#UCTGrad2023 – social media elements
Customised Facebook and Instagram stickers are available on our social media platforms. Watch the tutorial videos here to see how easily you can get your online presence ready to celebrate.
