Emeris Waterfall graduate lands prestigious Australian study opportunity
Emeris Waterfall graduate Tumelo Mabetwa’s hard work has paid off after earning direct admission into a prestigious Australian university, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, to pursue a master's degree in cybersecurity.
“Never limit God. That was one of the most important things my parents told me after I received my offer letter from The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Australia.”
These were the words of Emeris Waterfall campus Class of 2025 IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Science in Application Development graduate Tumelo Mabetwa.
Due to his strong academic performance, graduating with distinction and a 77% average overall, Mabetwa has bypassed the traditional honours route and is progressing directly to a master’s in cybersecurity through the university.
He will begin his master’s degree in Australia this July.
“I always intended to continue my studies in South Africa, but when circumstances beyond my control changed those plans, I had to start considering other opportunities,” he explained.
One of them was the possibility of studying overseas for his postgraduate degree. He approached the application process with the mindset that if he got accepted, then it was meant to be, and if he did not, at least he would know that he tried.
During his undergraduate studies at Emeris Waterfall, he performed well academically, and he gives a great deal of credit to his lecturers, particularly to Handsom Mpofu, head of computer science; Sundesh Dasram, mathematics for computer science and project management lecturer; and Isaac Leshaba, former cloud development and web security lecturer.
“They were incredibly supportive throughout my studies and played a major role in guiding me to truly understand the work.
Their guidance contributed greatly to my academic success and ultimately helped me graduate with distinction.
Also read: BIC brings learning inspiration to Ponelopele Oracle Secondary School
“Achieving those results placed me in a strong position when I applied to universities overseas. I applied to three universities in Australia, mainly because they offered mid-year intakes and had strong international industry links.”
Mabetwa was fortunate enough to receive offers from all three Australian universities. He carefully considered his options and chose RMIT University because of its global ranking, practical learning approach and strong industry connections.
“I decided to follow through with the opportunity. I am also grateful to have received a bursary for my studies. Sometimes the opportunities we never planned for can become the ones that shape our future the most.”
Mpofu highlighted that Mabetwa will succeed in Australia. “Tumelo’s admission into the Master of Cyber Security programme at RMIT University in Australia is a remarkable achievement that reflects his academic excellence, innovation and determination,” said Mpofu.
“Having witnessed his growth through his contributions to the campus’ The Hub for Innovation, Ventures and Entrepreneurship, I do not doubt that he will continue to make a meaningful impact on the global technology landscape.”
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!
