Mantoa Mabel Mphambo obtained her Bachelor of Divinity degree on Thursday (16/4), despite being declared permanently unfit to work due to health challenges. The qualified teacher lost her literacy and her memory of simple passages.

Her career ended abruptly when her health deteriorated, leaving her unable to recall even a simple prayer, said Mphambo. The loss of cognitive function forced her to leave the profession she had dedicated much of her life to.

Mantoa Mabel Mphambo. Photo: University of Free State

However, she found a new path through faith and was ordained as a pastor at the New Testament Church.

After viewing a television broadcast where a pastor encouraged people to consume harmful substances for healing in 2019, she decided to obtain a formal education to ensure her own leadership was rooted in theological accuracy and the study of origins rather than unverified claims.

Her studies at the University of the Free State demanded persistence, as she worked to rebuild her reading abilities while keeping up with her coursework. In 2024, she paused her academic progress to care full-time for her mother, 94, who had fallen ill.

She returned to the university in 2025 to finish the remaining modules of her degree. Completing the programme, she feels the previous loss of her ability to read was a hurdle she could move past through study and determination.

UFS vice-chancellor and principal Prof. Hester C. Klopper acknowledged the significance of this achievement during the graduation proceedings. The event served as a reminder of the university’s function within the public sphere.

“Graduation is not only a moment of personal achievements; it is also a moment of reflection (on the) broader role of university in societies.”

Mphambo concluded her graduation serves as proof that her life story did not end with her medical diagnosis, but rather changed her direction toward a new purpose.

OFM News

• Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatsapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.