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Jeremiah Hlahla: Overcoming adversity to achieve a PhD in Botany

14 April 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Kaleidoscope Studios

At just 27 years old, Dr Jeremiah Hlahla has achieved a remarkable milestone: earning his PhD in Botany, conferred on Thursday 10 April. His journey is one of perseverance, academic curiosity, and the determination to rise above significant personal and financial challenges.

Resilience rooted in early hardship

Growing up in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, Dr Hlahla’s early life was marked by profound loss. His mother passed away when he was still young, and in Grade 11, he lost his father. Left without the support of his immediate family, he was placed in an orphanage alongside his sister. Despite these immense challenges, Dr Hlahla remained focused on his education.

“From Grade 10, I stayed behind at school to do my homework and study,” he recalls. “By Grade 12, I asked the pastor if I could use the church office to study. He allowed me, and throughout matric, I would go straight from school to the church office.”

A passion for science and a decisive pivot

Dr Hlahla’s fascination with science began in Grade 4 when he first encountered the topic of Matter and Materials. “It was a fascinating subject for me,” he says. By Grade 9, he had decided to become a scientist, though he was still unsure of the specific field.

After matric, he negotiated with an Anglo-American bursary manager to study biology instead of electrical engineering. “I later applied for biochemistry and botany at the University of Johannesburg because I enjoyed biology - but over the years, I found plant science especially interesting.”

The pivotal moment in his life came when he was awarded an Anglo-American scholarship. “That was a huge turning point in my life,” he says. “After matric, I didn’t know what I would do next. But after one psychometric exam and two rounds of interviews, I received the scholarship, and my life improved.”

With renewed motivation, he continued his studies and pursued a Master's degree, despite having no financial resources at the time. “When I arrived at the University of the Free State (UFS), I had just left Pretoria with my bags and no money,” he recalls. His supervisor, Dr Makoena Moloi, recommended him for a National Research Foundation (NRF) grant to cover his expenses. He was later awarded a bursary from Carl Zeiss.

“Dr Moloi wanted a hardworking person,” Dr Hlahla says. “She also helped me improve my academic writing.”

Perseverance through a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected setbacks, derailing his MSc research. “After the lockdown, I returned to find my plants had died. I had to start from scratch,” he says. Despite this, he completed his experiments by August 2021 and submitted his MSc with distinction.

“It is incredibly rewarding to see years of hard work culminate in a PhD,” he reflects.

Looking ahead: Researching for a food-secure future

Now a postdoctoral researcher in plant breeding, Dr Hlahla is working on developing drought-tolerant edamame cultivars – research inspired by his PhD work.

“What excites me the most is breeding drought-tolerant edamame cultivars based on my previous research,” he says. “I am also thrilled to be working with Prof Maryke Labuschagne and Prof Rouxlene van der Merwe.”

Dr Hlahla’s journey has given him insight into what it takes to succeed against the odds. His message to students navigating hardship is clear:

“Stay focused on your goals. How you respond to what happens to you will determine your future. Someone is always willing to help - so find support and use it. Hard work, willingness, and determination will take you far.”

News Archive

Faculty of Law establishes unique panel of advisors

2005-11-11

Photo: Stephen Collett

Some of the panel members who attended the Collegium Iurisprudentium of the Faculty of Law at the UFS were from the left His Honorable Judge of Appeal Lex Mpati (Vice-President of the Supreme Court of Appeal), His Honorable Judge of Appeal Joos Hefer (former Chief Justice of South Africa), His Honorable Judge of Appeal Frits Brand (Supreme Court of Appeal) and Mrs Alet Ellis (lecturer at the UFS Faculty of Law).

At the back from left were Prof Johan Henning (Dean: Faculty of Law at the UFS), His Honorable Judge Faan Hancke (High Court of the Free State and chairperson of the UFS Council) and Adv Jannie Lubbe Sc.

The Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) has established a panel of advisors comprising of all the honorary and extraordinary professors of the faculty.

“The faculty has been known for its excellent practice-orientated training as well as the involvement of law practitioners in the training of LL B-students,” said Prof Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UFS.

“The faculty was greatly dependent on the services of advocate lecturers, full-time members of the Bar and Side Bar who lectured on a part-time basis at the faculty. For this reason lecturing in the faculty was mainly done after-hours to part-time students,” said Prof Henning.

With the shift in emphasis to full-time lecturing and the appointment of full-time lecturers, especially because of the increasing student numbers, the full-time LL B-programme and the increasing pressure on students for quality research inputs, a greater need for meaningful contributions of judges and senior law practitioners to the faculty was experienced.

“To comply with this urgent need, three honorary professors and nine extraordinary professors were appointed. This group of experts deliver an indispensable contribution to the practice orientation of the faculty by means of formal lectures, public inaugural lectures and guest lectures, direct lectures to graduate and post-graduate students, participation in research projects and the constant evaluation of lecturers, modules and the content of modules and learning material. The international exposure of students and lecturers is also promoted by their contribution,” said Prof Henning.
“A need to have the involvement of this special class of professors structured in a more organised way was identified and a decision was made to establish an advisory panel called Collegium Iurisprudentium. It is a privilege to us that all the honorary and extraordinary professors accepted the invitation,” said Prof Henning.

The panel will provide the faculty with continuous, distinguished, practice- orientated capability and capacity as well as international expertise, not only for direct inputs to students but also to advise lecturers about the curriculum, the compilation of the content of the LL B and M module, learning material and others, as well as to strengthen the research capacity of the faculty.

“The panel will also deliver a decisive contribution to the faculty’s preparation for the constitutional audit of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council for Higher Education (CHE) that will take place in October 2006,” said Prof Henning.

The Collegium Iurisprudentium, which has been formally constituted, comprises of:

Appeal Court Judge J J F Hefer,
Appeal Court Judge L Mpati
Appeal Court Judge F D J Brand
Appeal Court Judge I G Farlam
Prof B A K Rider
Judge S P B Hancke
Judge A Kruger
Judge D H van Zyl
Adv S J Naudé
Adv J Lubbe Sc
Prof M M Katz
Prof R J Cook
Mr S van de Merwe
Mr W van der Westhuizen
Mr D C M Gihwala

Media release
Issued by:Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
11 November 2005

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