Celebrating UCT’s PhD graduates

The December graduation season has seen the University of Cape Town (UCT) exploring uncharted territory, with thousands of graduates being honoured in virtual graduation celebratory events – the first of their kind for the university since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UCT celebrated its December graduate cohort during a virtual celebration on 15 December.

To honour the 2020 PhD cohort, VC Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng celebrated with some of the graduates in person on the steps of Sarah Baartman Hall.

Siphokazi Jonas is one of the most prolific spoken word poets in South Africa, and her work has travelled nationally and internationally. An alumnus of UCT, Siphokazi writes and performs this poem that speaks to the challenge of graduating under the shadow of a changing global experience.

The December 2020 graduands graduated during the virtual graduation celebratory event at 18:00 on Tuesday, 15 December 2020.

“Hlonolofatsa” is a song of praise and was performed by the Cape Town Youth Choir in celebration of UCT's graduates from the March cohort at a virtual celebration on 14 December 2020.

The Cape Town Youth Choir set the tone at UCT’s virtual graduation celebration on 15 December 2020 with their rendition of the South African National Anthem.

The University of Cape Town conferred the degree Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) upon international social welfare scholar Professor James Midgley.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) deans congratulate the March and December 2020 graduates on their academic success during an exceptionally challenging year and wish them well in their future endeavours.

The Cape Male Voices are a talented trio from the UCT SA College of Music and here they perform “Malaika” accompanied by lecturer and singing coach, Tertia Downie.

The celebratory event video was made available online at 18:00 on Monday, 14 December to honour the March 2020 graduates.

“Hlonolofatsa” is a song of praise and was performed by the Cape Town Youth Choir in celebration of UCT's graduates from the March cohort at a virtual celebration on 14 December 2020.

The Cape Town Youth Choir set the tone at UCT’s virtual graduation celebration on 14 March 2020 with their rendition of the South African National Anthem.

 The Mzantsi Wakho study has been recognised for the Social Responsiveness Award 2019.

This song by Robbie Jansen is performed by Jesse Julies on tenor saxophone accompanied by Brathew Van Schalkwyk on piano. Both performers are from the UCT SA College of Music, Jazz Department.

“Iza Ngomso” was performed by the Cape Town Youth Choir as part of UCT’s virtual graduation celebrating the March cohort.

The names of all of the March 2020 graduates are accessible in the March programme PDFs. This index will help you find your graduation ceremony group.

The names of all of the December 2020 graduands are accessible in the December ceremony programme PDF.

The graduation celebration for the March 2020 cohort of graduates takes place at 18:00 on Monday, 14 December 2020.

The graduation celebration for the December 2020 cohort of graduands takes place at 18:00 on Tuesday, 15 December 2020.

Co-creator of Coloured Mentality, Sarah Summers, is graduating with her honours despite the odds she’s had to face and fight along the way.

In 1986 Julius Okello was forced into Uganda’s Bush War as a child soldier. Tenacity and hope delivered him through a personal wilderness to his PhD.

Ziba Rajan will be the first master’s graduate from UCT’s Electrolyser Research Group, and she will be graduating with distinction.

At UCT’s December graduation, a PhD will be awarded posthumously to Dr Mike Abia. His wife, Shuvai Abia, shares his story.

UCT PhD graduand Millicent Agangiba has dedicated her doctoral degree to her dad’s memory.

After a long and winding road, Senzo Mgabhi will graduate with his MSc in chemical engineering from UCT on 15 December.

Tshediso Mahange experienced great adversity during his childhood, but he persevered – and this December he will graduate with his degree in business science from UCT.

Graduating with an MSc in Biological Sciences (with distinction), passion and perseverance are what helped Liezl Maritz triumph over an unforgiving environment and tough working conditions.

Takunda Chitaka, by her own admission, walks through doors when she sees they are open. It is an instinct that has served her well on her academic path.

Having represented UCT globally and been awarded plenty of accolades while working on furthering social justice, Shivani Ghai is a true inspirational graduate.

Tabeth Masengu’s jointly awarded PhD in Law is not only a landmark for UCT but also proof of her resolve to be a pioneer.

Inspirational UCT graduate and SRC president Akha Tutu reflects on the lessons he learnt during his time as an undergraduate at the university.

University of Cape Town PhD candidate, Alexios Vicatos, graduated with an M.Sc. degree in Supramolecular Chemistry in December 2019.

From a small Kenyan village to a degree cum laude at UCT, graduate Willie Macharia proved that resistance is no match for resilience.

Women have taken four of the five top spots in the final-year civil engineering class, a salute to excellence and a spur to equality.

For the second year in a row, women have taken most of the top spots in the final-year civil engineering class at the University of Cape Town – a salute to excellence and a spur to equality.

UCT PhD graduate Tryphine Zulu will continue using her passion for health economics to help fight inequalities in the country, in Africa and beyond.

After 10 years, and having prevailed over many challenges, Paveshan Moodley finally has his degree from UCT.

Graduation organist Alexios Vicatos is a multi-talented PhD candidate in supramolecular chemistry, a musician and horologist, and a restorer of the Cape Town City Hall’s carillon.

Despite the challenges of navigating campus on a prosthetic leg, Jamie Adams has received her second honours degree – this time in organisational psychology.

After tragedy struck his family in 1999, civil engineering graduand Tsepiso Tshivhase says he reached “rock bottom” years later in his final year at UCT.

Chemical engineering graduate-in-waiting Jabulani Nyathi says students should not be afraid to seek help when university life becomes too overwhelming.

A desire to learn more about disability in education inspired Sarah Oosthuizen to immerse herself in online courses and sign up for UCT’s Postgraduate Diploma in Disability Studies.

Arriving at UCT was a profound shock to Roxanne Mohunlal’s system, but fast-forward just a few years and she’s about to receive her PhD.

Assistant librarian Noziphiwo Sigwela will be graduating with an honours degree in city planning later this month.

UCT Properties and Services staff member Fouzia Thesen’s granddaughter Leila Thesen is the family’s first university graduate.

You can easily add UCT graduation stickers to your Facebook story following these easy instructions.

You can easily add UCT graduation stickers to your Instagram story following these easy instructions.

You can easily add UCT graduation frames to your Facebook profile picture following these easy instructions.