‘A humbling moment': Mmusi Maimane credits parents for PhD
'Thank you for all the kind words, South Africa,' he said on X.
The university conferred the Doctor of philosophy degree to Maimane on Monday in a graduation ceremony where former MP Malusi Gigaba was also awarded a PhD.
Maimane's study focused on local government challenges between 2014 and 2019 in four metropolitan municipalities: Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Tshwane and Johannesburg.
He has two master's degrees, in public administration and theology, and is an ordained pastor who has preached on local and international platforms.
Growing up in Soweto, Maimane credited his parents for laying the foundation for his success, citing the sacrifices they made to invest in his education.
'My mother wasn't able to finish school due to the impact of apartheid. My father worked in a factory,' he said in a UJ podcast. 'I don't come from a family of academics in that sense, yet my parents are much smarter than I am, and to have been able to grow up and complete the journey at UJ is an incredible achievement.
'That sense of accomplishment, not only for my own family, is huge because my parents sacrificed a lot. You don't get a PhD because someone invested in your primary and high school education. My parents sacrificed a lot to give me the right foundations. Otherwise, there's no way I'd be sitting here today with a PhD. It means a lot to them.'
Congratulatory messages from politicians have been flowing for Maimane and Gigaba:
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