- Orphaned and impoverished, Siyabonga Chaliluque cut grass daily to support his siblings.
- Inspired by a local Unisa student, he enrolled and studied through major rural challenges.
- Graduated with a B.Ed, he now dreams of becoming a teacher and uplifting his community.
At the June 2025 autumn graduation ceremony in Durban, a dramatic scene unfolded.
As a young man walked onto the stage and was capped, instead of celebrating like other graduates, he clung to the Regional Director, Dr Joyce Myeza, who was performing the registrar’s duties for the ceremony, and cried uncontrollably. The festivities paused briefly to let the moment unfold.
This is the incredible, moving story of Siyabonga Chaliluque from rural KwesakwaMthethwa in Empangeni, who recently graduated from Unisa with a Bachelor of Education degree.
Chaliluque’s childhood was marked by unimaginable tragedy and loss. His father, a Mozambican, passed away in 1999, and his South African mother was swept away by the catastrophic KZN floods of 2000. He was just seven or eight years old at the time.
He describes the experience of growing up without the memory of parental love—a void that left deep emotional scars.
Siblings, survival and sacrifice
Chaliluque is one of five siblings, including two brothers with disabilities. His older sister became the bedrock of the family, stepping into a parental role in the wake of their parents’ passing.
After matriculating from Uyengo High School in Bumbaneni, KwaMbonambi, Chaliluque found himself without guidance or opportunity. To support his family, he began cutting grass for R50 a yard, often completing three yards a day for a daily wage of R150. It was far from a dream, but it was survival.
Everything changed when he noticed a neighbour studying through Unisa without leaving their village. With help from this student, Chaliluque enrolled too, taking his first steps toward breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
In 2015, he became a father. The responsibility lit a fire in him. Determined that his son would not face the same adversity, he doubled down on his studies, even as he kept cutting grass by day.
Distance learning in the margins
Studying remotely in a rural area presented a host of challenges: patchy internet, limited access to resources, and digital isolation. Yet, Chaliluque’s determination anchored him through it all.
At his graduation, Chaliluque’s overwhelming reaction moved the audience, and brought an unexpected pause to the ceremony. His embrace of Myeza became a symbol of triumph, grief, and gratitude.
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