SWGC GRADUATION CEREMONY 2019 – PART 1

SWGC GRADUATION CEREMONY 2019 – PART 1
The morning of the 24^th May 2019 was a special and joyous one for students as the South West Gauteng TVET College held its first of two Graduation Ceremonies at the renowned Walter Sisulu Square Hall in Kliptown, Soweto, where over 450 students that have successfully met their academic and extra-curricular requirements and were allegeable to graduate, were conferred from both National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) and Report 190/1 Engineering as well as Utility Studies.
This occasion commenced with the newly allotted Council Chairperson of the College, Mr. Zenele Dlamini as he constituted the congregation before handing over to Pastor Nkululeko Hlubi who officiated with a scripture reading from Luke 11: 9-11 which reads, “Keep Asking, Seeking and Knocking 9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?” coupled with a prayer.
Mr. Dan L. Nkosi, the College Principal told the audience that the weekend of the 24^th May marks a very important time in the lives of Africans, as on the 26^th May, the nation would be celebrating Africa Day also known as African Freedom Day. He further said “This event is a moment in time for these students who want to strike out of the college or who are about to strike out of the college in the South African Economy and world. Change a clan, change a village and indeed your education put to good use can change the entire society.”
Well known Ms Thuli Magubane, the Director of Mint Fresh, member of board of directors for Benguela Global Fund Managers, Co-Founder and Director of Meleah Investments and Radio Presenter on KayaBizz for Kaya FM, encouraged the graduates and audience to dream big and never give up no matter how had it may get. Ms Magubane went on to say that her mother used to say to her, “your education is a tool you can use to build a better life for yourself. The stars are the limit and you must dream, don’t look at what is happening around you.” She iterated the words of Elenor Roosevelt, saying that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and it is up to each one of us to dream big.
As Ms Magubane concluded, she reflected on what a pastor from the United States said to her during her primary school days. He said to her that a man without a vision, is a man without a future and a man without a future returns to his past, from that moment on this statement stuck with her and she now uses it as her motto in life.
Shortly after Ms magubane’s speech, the ceremony also gave recognition to the best performing staff member of the college. Mr Mokibelo David Mopai from Roodepoort West Campus was presented with the Victor/Victrix Laudorum Academatic Awards for his philosophy of “Service above self”, being upheld as an icon in the College Fraternity and being an embodiment of the sum total of the values that the college wants to live.
The audience sung the National Anthem before the Chairperson of the College Council dissolved the Congregation and the ceremony ended.