In a nation starved for uplifting narratives, Masasa Mbangeni’s graduation inspires hope and highlights the importance of education, especially for young back women charting their own paths to success.
Image: Masasa Mbangeni /Instagram
Sometimes, South Africa gives us a feel-good moment that stands out, something joyful and gentle that reminds us who we are as a nation.
And this week, that gift came wrapped in black robes and academic blue: actress Masasa Mbangeni strutting out of Wits University with her BA Honours in Dramatic Arts.
It was one of those moments that immediately went viral, not because a gossip blog posted it (although Musa Khawula certainly made sure we saw it), but because it captured something many of us are craving right now: stories of Black women choosing themselves, their growth, and their future.
Our country is holding so much heaviness; this was a win we could all feel.
On 10 December, outside the Wits campus, Mbangeni strutted into a new chapter surrounded by her family, her friends, and a community that had watched her rise, fall, rise again and rise even higher.
In her Instagram posts, she thanked her loved ones who flew in just to see her cross that stage.
“My friends surprised me by flying in to attend my graduation! There are no words!”
“My family… all of my people show up every time.”
Anyone who has studied while working, hustling, healing, or just trying to get by in today’s economy will understand and share that pride.
Mbangeni’s energy was palpable like that of any other graduate in that moment. You could feel the relief. You could feel the power.
A two-time Wits graduate who isn’t stopping anytime soon
Mbangeni is no stranger to academia. She already holds a BA in Dramatic Arts from Wits (Directing & Performance Studies), plus an Associate Diploma in Performance from Trinity College London.
She’s also a former Mandela Rhodes Scholar, which says everything about her relationship with excellence and the arts as a tool for transformation.
Now, with her Honours degree officially in the bag, she says she’s hungry for more:
“I will be back to get my master's and my PhD because I am a Witsie for life,” she said in a now viral video shared by the institution.
And honestly? Yes! This is a woman who has always done the work on screen, on stage, and now, once again, in the classroom.
Most South Africans first met Masasa as Thembeka Shezi in Scandal!, a role that earned her consecutive Saftas nominations and a win in 2015. Since then, she has built a range that many actors spend decades chasing: from Netflix’s "Blood & Water" to "Heart of the Hunter" to iconic theatre work at the Market Theatre.
This honours degree is less of a surprise and more of a continuation of a woman who has always loved the craft deeply enough to study it, question it, and master it.
Mzansi celebrities returning to school.
Mbangeni's graduation also resonates with a growing trend among South African celebrities, who are making education fashionable once again. Notable figures such as Ayanda Thabethe, who earned an MBA from Henley Business School with distinction, and Sarah Langa, who completed her MBA, exemplify this shift toward valuing both academic achievements and career pursuits.
Others, like Hlubi Mboya and Somizi Mhlongo, have taken commendable steps towards formal education in various fields, further expanding the narrative of success in South Africa’s entertainment sector.
This collective shift from the classroom to the red carpet and back is rewriting what success looks like in Mzansi’s entertainment industry. It says nothing more than, Your dreams can be multi-layered. You can chase passion and purpose. You can be in your bag and in your books.
We live in a country where education too often becomes a privilege instead of a right. South Africa’s 2024 General Household Survey revealed that economic pressures remain a leading factor for students abandoning their studies.
Therefore, Mbangeni’s accomplishment stands as a powerful reminder of the limitless possibilities that lie before those who dare to defy the odds.
In watching South African celebrities, including Mbangeni, Somizi, Sarah Langa and many others before, who have already achieved so much, return to school, we are reminded that growth never expires.
That being celebrated doesn’t mean you stop learning. That you can always come back to the classroom, whether you’re doing it for your career, your confidence or simply to honour the younger version of yourself who once dreamed of this.
Halala Masasa!