Cape Town – Social media was abuzz this week with congratulatory messages for reigning Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida after she graduated with a BA Honours in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS).
The university held its virtual graduation ceremony for students who had met the requirements to obtain their qualifications across different faculties on Tuesday, July 20.
“Dreams are valid, I never thought that I’d be sitting here today but today I am sitting here. To every single student who feels that this is really tough, you are going to make it. You’re going to graduate, you’re going to succeed and it may not seem easy now but anything is possible if you put your mind to it and if you work hard…,” Musida said in a clip that was posted onto the university’s Twitter page.
???WATCH: “Dreams are valid, I never thought I’d be sitting here today…to every single graduate, to every single student who feels like this is really tough, you are going to make it through, you are going to succeed, you are going to graduate,” Miss SA, Shudufhadzo Musida. pic.twitter.com/VQwajUcsmt
— Wits University (@WitsUniversity) July 20, 2021
She added: “And please remember to focus on the small victories. Some days you are going to feel like ‘today’s hard and I’m struggling to study, I’m struggling to do this’ but focus on the small victories. Some days you’re only going to have an hour to study but if you build that up to two hours, three hours, four hours then it builds up to bigger victories that will lead to you graduating and walking up that stage…”
The graduation, however, was received with mixed emotions. Some were upset that the beauty queen was given the opportunity to receive her post-graduate certificate in person while others were left to attend a virtual ceremony due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
See some of the Twitter reactions below
I’m still here trying to understand who thought Miss SA graduating on stage while others didn’t, was a good idea. I know we have bigger problems but??
— Mpumz N. (@MpumzN) July 20, 2021
Celebrities such as the Mhlobo Wenene presenter, Siphiwo also shared their opinion.
Indeed, but it was no random act. Both the Miss SA Team (if they were involved) and WITS poorly planned this. They could’ve shot an advert for goodness sake and aired it as such. They focused more on the desired marketing outcome with no thorough ‘environmental scan’.
— Siphiwo Nzawumbi (@SpitchNzawumbi) July 21, 2021
A slap in the face for other graduates I must say. The strategy they used legit said “to hell with equality and we still don’t care about you”
There are graduates that didn’t get to walk on the stage last year. This was their second graduation and still the same thing.
Think! https://t.co/U5QEprCxxo
— Thulaganyo Mnisi (@Thula_Mnisi) July 21, 2021
She had a her virtual graduation at home and had the interview at great hall. She went there for an interview and nothing else. It’s more of “look a Miss SA graduated at one of the universities” ploy. Maybe they should have chosen a different hall then?♀️.
— Mandisa M (@ezuuus) July 21, 2021
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
