We have some fantastic news! South African author Rešoketšwe Manenzhe recently earned a PhD in Engineering from the University of Cape Town.

Her literary agent celebrated the achievement with a lovely message on Instagram, but it was Rešoketšwe’s own heartfelt post that captured the moment best:

It finally hit me – I have a PhD in engineering. I like to believe my Ancestors dreamt this too. I didn’t have a lot of confidence in undergrad and ended up feeling like I didn’t belong. I went away to industry and when I came back, I was a completely different person. The me from high school was back, more confident and happier. My supervisors were amazing and maybe that had a lot to do with it. Either way, I have lived my wildest dreams, my Ancestors’ wildest dreams. In this life, at least, we can say we did it all.

Rešoketšwe’s literary career is as impressive as her academic one. Her debut novel, Scatterlings, published in 2020, has been translated into seven languages, was a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Pick, and was named one of The New Yorker’s Best Books of the Year.

Before achieving her PhD, Rešoketšwe earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. She has worked as an engineer for South African cement company PPC and has lectured in UCT’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

We love celebrating the wins of the incredible individuals in the African literary community. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rešoketšwe Manenzhe on this remarkable accomplishment!