Despite facing significant challenges during their studies, UCT graduates Micheala September, Wonder Mathabela and Innocent Biringanine dug deep and made it to the finish line.
They were among the 5 760 students who graduated during UCT’s Autumn 2025 graduation season, which took place from Monday March 31 to Friday April 4 at the Sarah Baartman Hall.
Library and Information Studies graduate Micheala’s world was turned upside down in July when her mother, Ruth and sister Kirsten, died in a house fire.
Micheala said adjusting to life without her mom and Kirsten has been one of the biggest tests of her life. But her studies gave her a sense of purpose and she knew that her mom and sister would have wanted her to complete what she started.
UCT graduate Micheala September.
Image: supplied
“I knew that they’d want me to see it through, my sister especially. And I did it. They were my reason and motivation to keep going. I desperately wanted to make them proud and hope that I have. I think I have, especially because I didn’t allow the tragedy to hold me back,” Micheala said.
With a love for books, which she attributes to her mom who instilled a love of reading in her, a post-graduate diploma in Library and Information Studies was the perfect fit.
“I always wanted to be the girl behind the desk in the library. So many people see libraries as a place where all you do is work with books. But there’s so much more to it than that. And when the idea of this course bit, I just couldn’t let go,” she said.
Micheala has enrolled for her master’s in digital curation at UCT.
UCT graduate Wonder Mathabela.
Image: supplied
It was a balancing act for actuarial science graduate, Wonder Mathabela from Rondebosch who found a passion for competitive running during his first-year. What started out as something to help manage the demands of his studies, was later the discovery of a hidden talent he had.
Now, as the Eswatini-born Wonder celebrates the completion of his studies, he also reflects on his achievements on the track. From winning at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Games to finishing 15th out of over 4 000 runners at the Cape Peninsula Half Marathon.
Balancing a rigorous academic schedule with a budding sporting career is a challenge many students struggle with. Yet, for Wonder, these two worlds complemented each other, offering valuable personal and professional lessons.
“Running has taught me that I’m capable of much more than I ever thought. I only discovered in my 20s that I could run competitively, which showed me that it’s never too late to start something new,” he said.
As a student-athlete, he faced the daily challenge of managing early morning 15 km runs, long lectures, and late-night study sessions. The mental and physical toll was immense, especially when major races coincided with academic deadlines. Yet, through strategic time management and perseverance, he found ways to excel in both areas..
Wonder said nothing could have prepared him for the emotions of being capped.
“You wait years for this moment but when they called my name it was as if time slowed down. I thought about every late night, stressful exams and all the times I wanted to give up. I was relieved, grateful and proud,” he said.
Congolese-born Innocent Biringanine had to weather many a storm from financial uncertainty, immigration issues to being excluded from certain academic programmes.
But despite it all, he kept his eye firmly on the prize and sought solutions to the multiple stumbling blocks he encountered.
“It has not been easy. It’s been one challenge after the other. But here I am. I’m proof that persistence wins, and even though things seem daunting, especially when it feels like doors are closing for you, all you need to do is to keep going because the tide turns,” Innocent said.
UCT graduate Innocent Biringanine.
Image: supplied
Like many students, Innocent struggled to secure a scholarship to fund his undergraduate programme. While UCT accepted his application to start his degree at the beginning of 2021, weeks passed, and he received nothing positive on a single scholarship application. Thankfully, the Solly and Zohra Noor Foundation came through for him and he was ready to get going with his studies – or so he thought.
Shortly after he attempted to register, he got word that UCT’s International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO) could not process his registration because his immigration documentation was not up to date.
“I was devastated. At times I even felt depressed. However, I knew I needed to act quickly. I got through the funding hurdle, and I couldn’t allow this obstacle to stop me from pursuing my studies. So, I sought help from UCT’s Refugee Rights Unit (RRU),” he said.
By the time he was finally permitted to register, it was halfway through the first-term of his first year. Innocent hoped to study medicine. But due to certain restrictions that accompanied his immigration status, he was not allowed to proceed. His next course choice was actuarial science. But because of his love for health sciences, he decided that audiology would be a better option.
“I had to catch up on everything: lectures, assignments and tests while my classmates were already well into the semester. Some courses were very difficult to pick up on and by the time I started, the class was already in the middle of multiple quizzes. I managed to integrate over time, but the learning curve was steep,” Innocent said.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Audiology and has enrolled for his master’s in audiology.