CPUT Graduate Misses Ceremony After Classmate Allegedly Takes Her Place

• CPUT graduate Thandi Javu was denied entry to her graduation ceremony after security said someone had already checked in under her name
• She missed her moment of walking across the stage to collect her Bachelor of Education degree while others celebrated inside the venue
• Javu later learned a fellow student had allegedly taken her place, leaving her devastated on what should have been her big day

WESTERN CAPE —A graduate from Cape Peninsula University of Technology has shared her heartbreak after a bizarre incident prevented her from attending her own graduation ceremony.

This, after a classmate checked in under her name and walked across the aisle to collect her qualification.

Graduate speaks on the incident

According to News24, Thandi Javu was denied entry to the venue after being told that someone had already checked in under her name.

The incident took place on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, during a graduation ceremony in Bellville, where Javu was meant to receive her Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching.

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Speaking about the ordeal, Javu said she arrived at the venue with her invitation, only to be stopped at the entrance.

“I had my invitation with me, but security told me my seat had already been taken. I kept telling them there had to be some mistake, but they would not let me in," she said

Unable to gain access, she watched as fellow graduates entered the venue to celebrate their milestone with loved ones.

“The graduation went on without me. It was my first graduation, and I missed it,” she said. “I didn’t want to cry in front of everyone, so I kept myself together and went home with my family disappointed.”

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Classmates confirm fellow student 'stole' her place

It was only after the ceremony that she discovered what had happened. A fellow student sent her a video showing that when her name was called, another student, Sihle Joseph, walked across the stage and accepted the certificate in her place.

“The name Thandi Javu was announced and he walked proudly to collect my degree. I could not believe someone would steal such an important moment from me,” she said.

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Javu added that she still does not know how Joseph managed to gain access to the ceremony or take her place.

Another classmate told News24 that students were surprised to see Joseph at the event, as he had reportedly not completed all his modules and was not expected to graduate.

“I paid for my dress, my makeup and transport from Strand, and all of it was wasted,” Javu said.

The certificate has since been returned.

CPUT launched an investigation

The university is investigating exactly how Josephs gained entry into the venue. University spokesperson Lauren Kensley described that once inside the hall, Josephs allegedly picked up a name card belonging to the victim and used that to walk across the stage. Javu arrived late to the ceremony, after Josephs had already picked up her card and taken her seat. Kensley also confirmed that Josephs was last registered as a student in 2023 and was not eligible for graduation.

Previously, Briefly News reported that students at Cape Peninsula University of Technology's District Six campus faced desperate circumstances as they slept rough on pavements and in open areas near the university. Videos circulating online capture exhausted young people wrapped in blankets, huddled with suitcases and bags, exposed to the elements.

Source: Briefly News