A courageous journey from addiction to graduation
He has transformed his life from being known as a troublesome whoonga addict to now being recognised as one of DUT’s resilient graduates.
Breaking free from whoonga addiction was one of the best decisions that Thabiso Khumalo made for his life.
A Bachelor of Applied Arts in Screen Arts and Technology graduate from the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Khumalo is proud of himself for breaking free from whoonga addiction and for returning to DUT to finish what he started.
He has transformed his life from being known as a troublesome whoonga addict to now being recognised as one of DUT’s resilient graduates.
Khumalo, from KwaDabeka Sub 5 in Clermont, was among the graduates from the Faculty of Arts and Design, who were celebrated at Olive Convention Centre in Durban, recently.
For Khumalo, graduating from DUT was far more than an academic achievement; it marked a powerful testament to recovery, perseverance, and personal transformation.
Reflecting on his addiction, Khumalo shared that his struggles began in 2009 after the devastating passing of his best friend while they were in grade nine.
“I wasn’t in a good place. Someone offered me whoonga as a way to cope. From that day, I started using and continued from 2009 until 2016. I first enrolled at DUT for a Diploma in Taxation in 2015. I was already battling the addiction. It got so bad in 2016 that I dropped out of DUT. At one stage, I was homeless, having run away from home after causing my family so much pain and suffering. I used to steal from them to sustain my drug cravings,” he shared.
He recalled one incident where he stole a large sum of stokvel money that was kept by his grandmother in the house. According to Khumalo, his turning point came when he had his daughter, Zisanda. He took the difficult yet wise decision to stay clean from drugs and rebuild his life for the sake of his daughter. Creating a better future for her became his main focus.
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Khumalo shared that he relocated to different areas, including Paulpietersburg, Empangeni, and Mpumalanga, as he attempted to rebuild his life.
Breaking free from addiction was not easy for him, but the unwavering support of his family and friends became his lifeline during his darkest moments.
“I will forever be grateful to my family and friends for standing by me even when I had hurt them on several occasions,” he said.
Determined to start over, Khumalo attempted to return to DUT in 2021 but was unsuccessful. Refusing to give up, he re-registered in 2022 for a new qualification in Screen Art and Video Technology, a field inspired by a filmmaking workshop hosted at his school, Sithokozile Secondary, by the Caversham Centre when he was in grade 10.
During his return to campus, Khumalo became actively involved in student leadership and support initiatives where he assisted fellow students.
In 2023, he founded a non-profit organisation called AsambeSyeVarsity, which assists young people with online university applications, CV revamping, and operates a soup kitchen for homeless individuals.
His commitment to community upliftment earned him second place in the 2024 Student Awards for Living Values Champion.
In 2025, he was also identified as a potential candidate to spend a semester at the University of Flensburg in Germany.
Currently serving as an intern in DUT’s Department of Multimedia, Khumalo is responsible for covering institutional events through sound engineering, photography, and videography to ensure university activities are professionally documented. Balancing work and studies required exceptional discipline and planning.
Looking ahead, Khumalo plans to pursue an Honours degree next year, with the long-term goal of completing a master’s degree. He also hopes to gain industry experience before eventually launching his own filming company.
Beyond filmmaking, his broader vision is to open an art and skills development centre for young people in KwaDabeka, a space that would teach them practical skills and keep them away from the streets.
Present at his graduation were his proud grandmother, Ntombizanele Zulu (83), and his mother, Nonhlanhla Zulu (55), who were in tears as he walked across the graduation stage. They expressed their gratitude to him for changing his ways for the better. For them, not giving up on him was one of the best decisions they have ever made.
