At just 17 years old, Mongiwa Hazel Ntuli has made history as one of the University of Pretoria’s youngest-ever graduates, earning a degree in Actuarial Science, an achievement that places her far ahead of her peers and firmly on the path to an extraordinary future.
Born and raised in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, Hazel’s academic journey began with a surprising twist.
“When I was in Grade 3, I mistakenly wrote a Grade 4 mathematics paper and scored the highest of all the actual Grade 4 students,” she recalls.
That moment changed everything. Her talent was immediately recognised by her teachers, who encouraged her to take more advanced assessments. From that point, her educational path accelerated rapidly.
By 2022, Hazel had enrolled at UP, drawn to its prestige and proximity to home. “It was the first university to call out to me when I applied,” she says.
“It had the best perks and is one of the top-ranked actuarial science departments that is internationally recognised.”
Despite her brilliance, being younger than her classmates came with its own challenges.
“Many students treated me like the little sister they never had,” she said.
“There were a lot of expectations of me, and it got difficult to meet those expectations.” But Hazel credits her success to a strong support system and unwavering faith.
“I first and foremost attribute it all to God.”
She leaned on mentors and staff members such as her house mother, Zamile, her departmental mentor Refilwe Lehobo, and the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Merit Awards team.
“I always reminded myself of why I’d started and made sure that my ‘why’ was strong enough,” she says.
“Having multiple vision boards kept me on track, and of course, prayer.”
Hazel’s tenacity was tested during her final academic year.
“I thought I’d failed and would need to repeat the year,” she admits.
“It was a sign that no matter how many times I got knocked down, as long as I got back up, I still had a fighting chance.”
Graduating at such a young age is more than a personal milestone, it’s a triumph for her entire family. “My parents will have their much-deserved bragging rights,” she says.
“It will alleviate a lot of pressure and burdens that my family has been carrying for so long.”
Currently pursuing an honours degree, Hazel is already looking ahead.
“After this, I’m planning to both work and further my studies. I’ve always wanted an MBA.” Her long-term goal is to qualify as an actuary and step into the business world.
To others aspiring to follow in her footsteps, Hazel offers this advice; “Be teachable. You don’t know everything. Learn how to fail forward. Take your losses, mix them up with perseverance and grit. Be like a baby when taking on a challenge, ready to receive all the knowledge and wisdom you can.”
As she crosses the stage during UP’s autumn graduation ceremony, the university celebrates not only a young graduate, but a generational trailblazer, poised to shape the future with courage, clarity, and unmatched resilience.
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