Graduate perseveres despite losing his sight
After a debilitating illness left Mbongeni Shabangu partially blind and dependent on a crutch, he felt hopeless and had to stop his studies.
But 14 years later, Shabangu proudly took to the stage at the Rhodes University graduation ceremony to collect his bachelor of science in computer science and technology degree.
Those attending the graduation session on Friday roared with applause as Shabangu’s name was read out.
“Where there is a will there is a way and I did this for my family and I did it for me,” Shabangu said.
Originally from Swaziland, the 36-year-old was enrolled at the University of Swaziland.
In his third year in 2009 after a night out partying with classmates, he woke up the next morning paralysed from the neck down and blind.
“It was acute demyelination, which is basically your body’s immune system attacking your nerves. So my nerves were damaged and because it was ‘acute’ it happened almost immediately.
“I went to sleep and woke up blind and paralysed from the neck down,” he said.
He had to abandon his university studies and went to a college for the blind in Pretoria to learn how to use technology to assist him. After the sixmonth course, Shabangu was back home in Swaziland.
In 2013, he began teaching other people with vision difficulties how to use technology.
Two years later, Shabangu was offered sponsorship to study further, which was when he decided to attend Rhodes.
“Rhodes was not my first choice, second or third but my only option at the time because of the facilities they had.
“I thought to myself, come hell or high water, I would get my degree.
“Many institutions say they are ready but they are not ready to properly cater for students with disabilities.
“They need to be flexible enough and there is still a lot of work to be done.
“What I say to people about disabilities is, it’s not a one size that fits all situations.
“You need to understand the person you are working with.”
Shabangu said he hoped to continue studying and eventually work in the cyber security field.