His little brother graduated just a few days ago. It was meant to be a great time for them together as siblings, graduating to be teachers just days apart. They were meant to graduate and celebrate together.
But that seems like an unattainable dream for Mbali Silimela.
Mbali (26) was a student at the University of Fort Hare and since he was in high school, all he wanted was to be a teacher.
His love for teaching started when he used to tutor his classmates at Nhlakanipho High School and they passed. In 2017, his matric year, he hadn’t applied to any university and even though he had great marks, he was not able to study the following year.
In 2019, he began his studies at the University of Fort Hare in Alice.
This year, he took the university to court because he was not given the marks he thought were due to him because a lecturer had not marked his assessment on time.
The court then ordered the university to review his work and change the marks accordingly. When the university didn’t comply with the court order, Mbali went back to court and this time, the court ordered the university to allow him to graduation during the May graduation season.
Read more | A UFH education student takes the university to court over failed module and wins
The court order was handed down on 9 May, but even after his victory, the university still hasn’t communicated with him about the graduation dates.
“I wonder why exactly the university is doing this. What have I done to deserve such treatment and abuse? In fact, there's no one who's in my age (in management). You are all my elders, fathers and mothers. Why are you doing this to me? I doubt that management would enjoy to see their own blood running courts up and down like this just for only a module that I passed in difficult times. This is cruelty and no management of any institution that might abuse a student in this way.”
His little brother, Aphelele, is a year younger than him, and they grew up as if they were twins.
Aphelele graduated from Walter Sisulu University on 10 May and Mbali’s prospects of graduating with him this May seem slim.
“The university is doing this on purpose,” he tells Drum.
“They are trying to frustrate me. They are drawing with out longer, even though there is a court order, because they want the graduation season to end without me graduating.
“Can you imagine how I am going to feel when all my colleagues, in their black gowns, post pictures on all their social media platforms, enjoying this moment and I can’t?
“Lento indibulele (this has killed me) emotionally. I think I have even changed as a person. I am so angry. These people are after me.”
Mbali says this is deliberate. He says his woes with the university started in 2021 when he took the institution to court for suspending him.
Read more | Court compels UFH to allow education student to graduate this season
“They suspended me because they said I was inciting a strike. I took them to court. They have been trying to get me back since then and this is their way of doing it now. It is politically motivated. I have never enjoyed my time as a student at UFH. I have been going back and forth between classes and court.
“The same lecturer who didn’t mark my assessment, is the same lecturer who previously forced me to write a test when I was ill, even with a doctor’s note. Another time, while in court for the suspension matter, he forced me to do an oral test because he would not allow me to write on a different day because I was in court – and I passed. They have tried to sabotage me academically but they couldn’t.”
The education faculty is meant to graduate on 18 May, and Mbali is not certain that his name will make it to the list.
“I have emailed the Dean and he said he is willing to comply with the court order that says I can graduate, but he needs to get instructions or authorization from the higher ups, including the registra.
“It is painful to work hard and sweat all the years and have nothing to show for it at the end of the day.”
