"To the graduates, today marks the end of a long journey that started the first day you went to school. You reached here through application, dedication, hard work and discipline."

This was said by Prof Thandabantu Nhlapo, the deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town. He was the guest speaker during the spring graduation ceremony held at the University of Venda on Saturday.

"There is simply nothing to compare with the joy that I see in the faces of family and friends when their loved ones walk onto the stage to receive their recognition. Now comes the tough bit of your entry into the real world. You have acquired the skills and the attitudes to go out and join others in tackling the many problems that our country faces, but also in taking advantage of the many opportunities that our country offers. Your certificates, diplomas and degrees have given you an important capacity – the luxury to make choices," Nhlapo said.

During the ceremony, approximately 570 diplomas and degrees were awarded, of which 12 are masters and four PhD degrees.

"There is no clearer signal that the world we are facing today requires all of your skills and qualifications, applied in new and wonderful disciplinary combinations to respond to the changing global risk profile. In this context, irrespective of whether your graduating disciplines are agriculture or health science, environmental studies or mathematics, natural or human sciences, all of you have crucial roles to play in reducing our exposure to the risks ahead," said Nhlapo

He congratulated the University of Venda for accepting the challenge to carve itself a niche as a comprehensive institution, in those fields of study that are responsive to the development of needs of the Southern African region.

"It is a mission that resonates with the tone of the new democracy that we are all trying to build and protect. It is a democracy that is based not solely on the freedom of the individual, but one in which individual flourishing takes place in the context of a general drive to improve visibly the lives of others and to uplift whole communities in the shortest possible time. The constitution of this country makes it clear that efforts should be directed towards the eradication of poverty and the enhancement of human dignity through the ability of everyone to attain a decent standard of living. A commitment by an institution of higher learning to a rural vision is an important step in the realization of these goals," he said.

He thanked the graduates and parents for their roles to make dreams a reality. "I wish to congratulate the graduates, diplomandi and certificate holders who form the class of 2007, on the one hand, and their families, friends, supporters and communities on the other. "As to the families of the graduates, I wish to commend you for your love, support and, in many instances, sacrifices to get these young and not-so-young people through their studies. By family, I mean everybody who has had a hand in the education of these students."