Veteran South African actress, and activist Lillian Dube has an inspirational grass to grace story. Lillian’s acting career spanned more than 30 years, but unbeknown to many, she first worked as a tea lady in a furniture factory. In a remarkable and inspirational tale, the woman who who once worked as a tea lady received a DTech (Honoris Causa) Drama & Film Production today.
Lillian’s role in the drama series Soul City as Sister Bettina pushed her into the limelight. Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) has today honoured Lillian during the spring graduation ceremonies with a doctorate degree.
The university said in a press statement that, “Ms Lillian Dube, best known for her Soul City alter ego, Sister Bettina, will be honoured for a life-time in the entertainment industry. She chose the series over other projects time and again, since it has given a voice to people who previously couldn’t speak up for themselves, especially women.”
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Lillian began her acting career in the 1980s. The Theatre Guild honoured her with the Lifetime Achiever Award in 2014. She starred in Curl Up and Dye, a theatre production that toured Scotland and Germany in 2009.
The 72 year-old has been fighting breast cancer and has become and advocate, creating awareness around the disease. When Joe Mafela, one of South Africa’s legendary actors passed away earlier this year Lillian told Times Live that she and Mafela had discussed about the industry and how they were marginalised and not being given enough respect for what they had achieved.
In response to the honorary degree conferred on her by TUT, Lillian said “I feel like I could wake up my late mother, she said to me while growing up that whatever work you do, do it diligently. She said even if you sweep the floors, make people want to know who did the great work. I have taken that lesson with me all my life. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly and these are the fruits.”
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According to TUT News, the annual Tshwane University of Technology Spring Graduation ceremonies will run from 10 to 20 October 2017. 5 047 successful students will receive their qualifications. The total number of qualifications conferred on successful students in 2017 will be more than 15 000.
