Caption: Simanye Tonono, 21, obtained a Bachelor of Agriculture with 22 distinctions at the University of Fort Hare.
By: Khanyisa Khenese
While the loss of loved ones might have broken many, Simanye Tonono, 21, refused to let grief define his future by graduating with 22 distinctions. On 6 May, Tonono walked across the graduation stage at the University of Fort Hare, with pride and a remarkable academic transcript after obtaining a Bachelor of Agriculture with 22 distinctions.
Tonono lost his mother, two sisters, and his brother in a devastating house fire at his home in Tshabo, near Qonce, formerly known as King Williams Town, on 15 September 2023. The fire left him without his immediate family.
Reflecting on the day his world was shattered, Tonono said, “I was at the university attending a UFH Men’s Indaba at the university sport complex when I received a call from my uncle asking me to come to East London. He wanted us to buy initiation clothes since I was scheduled to go to the initiation school that year. However, upon arriving in East London, he told me it was too late. He advised me to return home to Dutywa so they could perform Imbeleko for me before the initiation school. When I reached home, I found people holding a church service. Unknowingly, I was then informed of my family’s death”.
Talking to Khanyisa Khenese of SA-Good News, Tonono, said, “during the burial of my mother and siblings, I made a promise that, despite the pain and loss, I would make my late mother proud by building a better future, I have carried that promise. My dream was always to pursue my education and build a big house for my mother and siblings. That mission I vow, Mom, I will accomplish”, he said.
As it was his first year in 2023, getting better was a case of two steps forward and one step back. “Grief was unbearable as it disrupted everything, my concentration, routine, and forced me to take a break from academics. “The weight of the loss made even basic academic demands feel impossible. I missed a test and fell behind, and as a result, I failed a module”, he said.
Caption: Honouring his remarkable achievement, Tonono is capped and awarded his Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of Fort Hare on 6 May. Photo: Supplied
However, despite the trials and tribulations Tonono faced, he remained determined to his vow, began to rebuild, and focused on achieving his degree. “I had to learn how to continue living with that pain; stopping was not an option. I was studying for them.”
In his second year, in 2024, Tonono passed most of his modules with distinctions and received an academic achievement award. He also tutored and mentored other students.
In speaking after his graduation, Tonono described his graduation as more than just an academic achievement but a “continuation of a promise I made at the graveside, a promise I will never allow to fade.”
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