The vibrant 23-year-old, Mlibokazi Ndabeni, from the city of Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape will be graduating for her National Diploma in Accounting at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Autumn Graduation to be held at the Olive Convention Centre on Friday, 24 May 2024.

Her journey at DUT commenced in 2020, when she pursued to study for her Accounting qualification.

“DUT made the process of pivoting to Accounting smooth by giving me a chance and offering me an opportunity to do a ‘Bridging Course in Accounting’ in 2020. In early 2021 I started my National Diploma Majoring in Financial Accounting,” she said.

As a dedicated student, she encountered many challenges among them being financial constraints and finding accommodation.

“The challenges I faced from first year were finding an accommodation that was conducive towards my learning and as a result I had occupied three different residences for the duration of my studies. I could not afford the institution’s residence as I was not funded by NSFAS but a self-payer,” said Ndabeni.

However, she persevered and was able to secure a bursary.

“I was fortunate enough to get a fee remission and later on got a BANKSETA bursary that paid most of my tuition fees. It was all God’s provision as he had been ordering my steps from the beginning,” she added.

She expressed her gratitude to her family, friends, and lecturers for always guiding her in the right direction and for motivating her to do her best.

“Graduating with Cum Laude is something I thought about when I was doing my third year, I was evaluating my academic record and I saw that it could be attainable, that’s when I wrote it down as a goal. My family was so proud, they congratulated me and said the Lord was with me, and to see it coming to life is truly a blessing,” she added.

Her parents have also played a huge role in where she is today, instilling discipline and respect from a young age. “Making them proud has always been in my heart. A special thank you to them and last but not least I want to thank God for redirecting my steps,” said Ndabeni.

With the steady determination for success, the creative aspires to become a chartered accountant one day and open an accounting firm. She recently started a business called NDABENI (PTY) LTD where she supplies essential goods and services worldwide.

Pictured: Mlibokazi Ndabeni

Patience Makhaye