“Now This Is a Big Flex”: University of Pretoria Graduate Inspires With a PhD Under 30, SA Impressed
- Simon Mateus walked across the University of Pretoria graduation stage to receive his Doctor of Laws degree in a ceremony that captivated social media
- Simon completed his doctoral thesis under the supervision of Judge Mlambo on a groundbreaking international law topic
- South Africans flooded the comments in awe after the clip showed him earning a PhD before the age of 30
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Source: TikTok
A Pretoria graduate has left South Africans inspired after a video of his doctoral graduation went viral on TikTok. Simon Mateus received his Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree from the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Law on 1 September 2026, earning a standing ovation and widespread praise online. The clip, shared on TikTok by @simonmateus98, showed Simon dressed in his red doctoral gown as he crossed the stage to be officially hooded and conferred with his degree.
A thesis that stood out
What made the moment even more remarkable was his age. He completed the qualification before his 30th birthday, a feat that drew immediate admiration from viewers across Mzansi.
His doctoral research, completed under the supervision of Judge Mlambo, examined the duty to eradicate poverty as a peremptory norm of general international law, known in legal circles as jus cogens. The University of Pretoria read out a summary of his thesis abstract during the ceremony, a tradition that clearly resonated with viewers who tuned in online.
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Watch the graduation moment that stopped Mzansi in its tracks in the TikTok video below:
Mzansi reacts to the young Doctor of Laws
The response to Mateus's graduation reflected something deeper than admiration for one man's hard work. For many South Africans watching, the sight of a young scholar being hooded in law was proof that academic excellence remains both achievable and worth pursuing. The comments section filled quickly with people celebrating his achievement:
@Obie said:
"I love how UP reads out doctoral abstracts. Well done, doc🔥!"
@Mathota | HikingWithMathota declared:
"PhD under 30, now this is the biggest flex 😌."
@tilokzn asked:
"Sounds like a good read. Where can we access the complete chapters of the thesis?"
@DR SK KGWELE offered:
"The Title has a volume. Massive congratulations 🎊🎉."
@user947081609869 shared:
"Yesterday I was there; it was humbling to hear your academic achievement."
One commenter, with an unclear handle, added:
"Nothing, and no one should make us believe that education is not important, not even the rate of unemployment 😤."
3 Briefly News PhD-related articles
- A brilliant Wits PhD candidate left South Africans inspired after heading to MIT and Harvard to pursue advanced research in diabetes.
- Unisa PhD student Kamogelo Mmereke was selected for the United Nations International Project Programme in Switzerland to help bridge the gap between her groundbreaking cancer research and global policy-making.
- David Obagbuwa graduated with an MBChB from Stellenbosch University (SU), fulfilling his dream of becoming one of South Africa's youngest doctors at the age of 21.
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Source: Briefly News
