The countrywide lockdown coincided with graduation season for students, compelling many universities to postpone their ceremonies or conduct them in an alternative virtual format.

A number of universities have postponed their graduation ceremonies amid the 21-day Covid-19 lockdown. Others, like Stellenbosch University, have turned to online resources like Zoom, the video conferencing app, to ensure that students get the recognition that they deserve.

The newly installed chancellor of Stellenbosch University, the retired Constitutional Court judge Edwin Cameron, who was elected in September 2019, conferred over 3,000 qualifications, which include certificates, diplomas and degrees, during an online graduation ceremony.

In the recording, Cameron describes conferring the qualifications as an "honour" as it was his first public role as chancellor.

In a seven-minute virtual ceremony, Cameron congratulated students and their families for their hard work.

Zoe Human is one such student. She completed her honours in journalism at Stellenbosch University. She was supposed to have her graduation ceremony on Tuesday 31 March. On Friday 3 April the department of journalism held an award ceremony over Zoom.

"Our parents could join, so my mom watched the video. It was a bittersweet moment for...