Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting students Mr Fanelesibonge Dlamini, Mr Tré Lee Nhleko and Mr Shivaan Singh are among proud recipients of the Malegapuru W. Makgoba Scholarship.
The scholarship is named after the first Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Professor Malegapuru W. Makgoba, and recognises the five top-ranked undergraduate students proceeding from first to second-year in each of the four Colleges at the University.
The aspiring Chartered Accountants CA(SA) plan to use their scholarship to progress towards a future in accounting.
As a Statistics 130 tutor, Dlamini said being awarded the scholarship inspires him to keep pushing for excellence as an academic as well as furthering his contribution to the University community.
“Helping fellow students master tough concepts as they progress is deeply fulfilling. Beyond easing the financial burden, the scholarship reinforces my belief that consistent effort and diligence pays off and serves as a reminder that I am on the right path,” he said.
While pursuing a BCom in Accounting was an easy choice his academic journey has not been without its challenges.
“The most demanding part of the year was taking Accounting 211 as a module. The intense complexity of the concepts and assessments hit me tremendously and put me at my lowest point. However, I persevered, fought my way back, and ended the semester with a Certificate of Merit for the module.
As an aspiring Chartered Accountant, I firmly believe my impact should extend beyond the classroom; true leadership is about leveraging my growth to make a meaningful, lasting difference in the lives of others,” said Dlamini.
Nhleko says the key to his academic success is overcoming failure, supported by resilience and hard work.
“In another life, I pursued Actuarial Science and failed countless times. But without those blunders, I wouldn’t have discovered my passion for accounting. I had to take a year to recalibrate and strategise. Over time, I’ve learned that failure isn’t something to fear, rather we should embrace and leverage its sting and adapt, grow, and be better,” he said.
While he is looking forward to exploring the various career paths available to him after qualifying as a chartered accountant, Nhleko’s immediate goal is graduating with a UKZN degree.
“I plan to reach the summit of the undergrad mountain in the next three semesters. From there, I’m going to claim victory in the battle for my Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA) and start the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) traineeship. I will qualify as a CA(SA) and begin the next chapter of my journey,” he said.
The scholarship is a welcome financial relief for Singh and a reminder to keep working hard. “Being awarded the Malegapuru W. Makgoba Scholarship means everything to me. It is a reminder that I have the responsibility to work harder and maintain my dedication to prove that I am worthy of this scholarship and to make UKZN proud. It also eases the financial pressure on my family and myself, so that I can truly be at ease and focus fully on my degree,” said Singh.
The top achiever says he is looking forward to completing his undergraduate degree and exploring his options.
Said Singh. “I plan to pursue my honours and become a chartered accountant, completing my articles and board exams. The journey is long but with the dedication and diligence I possess, I believe I can achieve these goals that I have set for giving me space to grow not just academically, but as a person.”
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photographs: Sethu Dlamini