The University of Pretoria recently acknowledged the achievements of a PhD student and the manager for Vhembe of Limpopo Tourism and Parks, when the institution presented Mr Elias Mavhungu Musitha with the Christopher Thornhill floating trophy.

Musitha, who is the former Director of Community Services of the Makhado Municipality, was acknowledged by the university, following his best achievement in local government and administration on PhD level in the previous academic year.

When the municipality controversially sent him packing in 2005, Musitha had already registered for his PhD at the school of public management administration at the University of Pretoria.

Musitha passed his Grade 12 at Tswime Secondary School at Nzhelele Ha-Mavhunga in 1983. He completed his Bachelor of Education Diploma at the University of Venda in 1987 and in 1994, while he was still a lecturer at Ramaano Training College in Tshakhuma, he completed his BEd at the same institution.

He completed his Masters in Development Studies at the University of Limpopo in 2004. From the period 1988 to 1994, Musitha worked as a teacher at Tshiawelo Secondary school in Vleifontein. After resigning as a lecturer at the Ramaano, he joined the Makhado Municipality as Director of Community Services from 2002 to 2005.

According to Musitha, this achievement means a lot to him because it will encourage young people to focus on their studies seriously. "This award will also motivate me and other individuals in the field of community development with the aim of fighting poverty through quality service delivery," he said