Chumani Charlie has just achieved what many only dream of, graduating cum laude, not once, not twice, but for the third consecutive time at the University of Fort Hare.
This morning, he added a Master of Commerce in Information Systems to his growing list of achievements, having already earned his BCom (2022) and Honours (2023) – both cum laude.
Chumani’s story is one of purpose and extraordinary discipline, and it’s far from over. With his Master’s behind him, he is already setting his sights on a PhD.
An Unconventional Journey
Reflecting on his journey, Chumani describes how his lived experiences gave him a unique maturity when he returned to university.
“My unconventional journey is at the heart of it. Having gone through setbacks and years of searching for purpose, I returned to university with a very clear perspective. I knew exactly why I was there. I had already experienced the distractions of student life, so I was immune to them. Instead, I focused on my goal: to use this opportunity to change not only my life, but my family’s.”
Originally from Zwelitsha, near Qonce, Chumani matriculated at Bisho High before venturing to Johannesburg, where he initially pursued Mechanical Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand. However, after three years of struggle, including battles with depression and substance abuse, he realised the field was not aligned with his passion.
“Failure was the beginning of my greatest lessons,” he recalls. “Don’t fear failure, embrace it, learn from it, and let it guide you. Your setbacks can become your biggest strengths if you allow them to.”
Finding his true calling in Information Systems
After years of working in the healthcare sector, he was struck by the gaps between technology and service delivery.
“Working in healthcare exposed me to the gaps between technology and service delivery. I realised there was a huge opportunity to bridge that divide through digital systems that could enhance healthcare provision. At the same time, I’ve always had a natural curiosity for computers and electronics. Combining that curiosity with my lived experience in healthcare made Information Systems an obvious choice.”
That decision proved transformative. Supported by NSFAS funding in his early years and later by the Hillensburg Trust, Chumani dedicated himself to mastering his field, with the UFH Information Systems Department and his supervisor, Professor Liezel Cilliers, playing a pivotal role in his success.
“I am deeply grateful to Professor Cilliers, who has been my supervisor from Honours through to my Master’s and now my PhD. Her support and mentorship have shaped not just my research but my entire academic journey.”
Research with real-world impact
For his Master’s, Chumani developed and validated the CHRONIQ framework, a tool designed to assess the quality of mobile health (mHealth) apps for chronic disease management in South Africa.
“The research showed that features like system performance and sustained engagement have a direct impact on whether patients continue to use these apps, and ultimately whether their health outcomes improve.”
He plans to expand his focus for PhD: “I want to explore how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and digital platforms can improve health outcomes in South Africa’s unique context. My focus is to address not only technology design, but also issues of access, ethics, and equity, ensuring that the digital solutions we develop don’t just work in theory, but are truly usable and impactful in disadvantaged communities.”
A deeply personal triumph
Chumani’s graduation is not only an academic milestone but also a deeply emotional one.
“My dissertation was dedicated to my sisters: my youngest sister, who lives with chronic kidney disease, and my eldest sister, who bravely fought stage 4 cancer until she passed away just two weeks ago. Losing her has been incredibly painful, but it also makes this achievement deeply meaningful; it is a celebration not just of my academic journey, but of her life and the courage she showed.”
He adds that his motivation has always been rooted in family: “Everything I have done has been with them in mind, to create opportunities and improve their lives. When I faced late nights or heavy deadlines, I reminded myself that I wasn’t just studying for me. I was studying for my parents who sacrificed for me, and for my sisters.”
Advising fellow UFH student, he said: “Life is not a straight line. When I left Johannesburg after failing to find my place in engineering, I thought my story was over. But failure was the beginning of my greatest lessons.”
Summing up his experience at the University of Fort Hare, he said it has been both a mirror and a launchpad “reflecting who I am and shaping who I am becoming.”
Congratulations to Chumani Charlie!