"Extraordinary Service": Wits Registrar Carol Crosley Retires After Nearly 30 Years of Service

• Carol Crosley marked her final day at Wits University after almost three decades of service to the institution
• She served as Registrar for 12 years and witnessed around 120,000 students walk across the graduation stage
• Wits staff gave her a heartfelt send-off that moved thousands of students and alumni online

Carol Crosley, the University of the Witwatersrand's long-serving Registrar, officially retired in early September 2026 after nearly 30 years at the Johannesburg institution. Wits University marked her final day with a warm send-off that included a ceremonial procession, an on-stage celebration with dancing and singing, and staff releasing blue, yellow, and white balloons into the sky.

The tribute was shared on Wits University's TikTok page on 2 September 2026, set to Beyoncé's song, 'I Was Here':

"I was here. I lived. I loved. I was here. I did. I've done everything that I wanted. And it was more than I thought it would be."

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Carol spent 12 of her nearly 30 years at Wits serving as Registrar, during which she oversaw roughly 120,000 students crossing the graduation stage. For many of those students, she was more than an administrator; she was someone who made things happen when the system felt impossible to navigate.

A legacy that goes beyond the title

During the final ceremony of Wits' Winter Graduation cluster, Professor Garth Stevens, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for People Development and Culture, paid tribute to Carol and spoke about her lasting impact on generations of colleagues and students. A mascot-held "Happy Retirement" banner noting 28 years of service captured just how long she had been part of the fabric of the university.

The university signed off its tribute with a message that summed up the feeling across campus:

"Thank you, Carol, for your extraordinary service, professionalism, and marked and unwavering commitment to Wits. You are a #Witsie4Life."

View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi reacts to Carol's retirement

Students and alumni flooded the comments section on the page with messages of gratitude and admiration:

@Hlonie_manyoks said:

"This woman made things happen for me to be able to register while in debt 🥺"

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@Century Gwala wrote:

"Carol Crosley was sensitive to the needs of students, just like Hale Modau. They both deserve a Bell's!"

@Lindokuhle Khumalo commented:

"They don't make them like her anymore!! ✨🎉🎉"

More Briefly News stories on retirement

• Durban school principal Mrs Williams received an emotional farewell from pupils and staff at Berea Primary School in a viral video.
• Pensioners in Athlone protested for an increase in the grant from R2,400 to R5,000, prompting mixed reactions from Mzansi.
• Retired Roodepoort train driver Neusol “Soon” Klee, 90, continues building model trains after a 44-year railway career.

Source: Briefly News