Graduates celebrate during UWC’s Autumn Graduation in 2026. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

It is not often that an academic has the opportunity to supervise to completion two PhD candidates who already hold doctoral degrees.

Yet this is what is happening in 2026, when Professor Russell Kaschula, Head of the Department of African Language Studies and NRF SARChI Chair in Forensic Linguistics and Multilingualism, will see two of his PhD students graduate. Dr Nomfundo Mali and Dr Susan Ntete both already hold doctorates from other universities, with Ntete having completed her first PhD at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime honour and privilege as a main supervisor, and it is unlikely ever to happen to me again in my career,” said Prof Kaschula.

The discipline of forensic linguistics was introduced at UWC in 2022, and since then it has grown significantly, with the establishment of the NRF Research Chair and the African Centre for Applied Studies in Forensic Linguistics (ACARFiL), headed by Prof Kaschula.

“The graduation of doctoral students in this field not only shows the relevance of the field in contemporary South Africa, but it also creates a pipeline of researchers who can contribute to creating new knowledge in this field,” Prof Kaschula said.

Dr Nomfundo Mali’s forensic linguistics thesis is titled, Every accused person has a right to a fair trial: The problematization of the application and implication of interpreting during cross-examination of the accused. Image: Supplied

Although Dr Ntete already holds a PhD in Sociolinguistics and Dr Mali holds a PhD in theoretical linguistics, they decided to pursue doctoral studies in forensic linguistics as a new avenue for their lifelong careers in language studies and multilingualism.

Prof Vivienne Lawack was the co-supervisor for Dr Ntete, and Dr Zakeera Docrat was the co-supervisor for Dr Mali.

Dr Mali’s forensic linguistics thesis is titled, Every accused person has a right to a fair trial: The problematization of the application and implication of interpreting during cross-examination of the accused. This research demonstrates the relevance of forensic linguistics to contemporary cases in South Africa, such as the ongoing Senzo Meyiwa trial.

Likewise, Dr Ntete’s thesis, titled, Trusted criminals conceal and fragment: A forensic linguistics case study of subprime mortgage fraud in South Africa, shows the importance of doing forensic linguistic research within the banking system. Organised economic crime is a transnational crisis bringing South Africa to its knees, and mortgage fraud within the banking fraternity, the focus of Ntete's thesis, is a symptom of this much bigger challenge.

Dr Susan Ntete’s thesis is titled, Trusted criminals conceal and fragment: A forensic linguistics case study of subprime mortgage fraud in South Africa. Image: Supplied

Dr Mali said: “As I celebrate earning my second PhD in Forensic Linguistics, a fairly new academic field at UWC, my heart is filled with gratitude, humility, and deep reflection. My research led to a new invention in interpreting in courts. This achievement is much more than an academic qualification. It is the culmination of four years of sacrifice, determination, and unwavering faith. The journey was not easy. As a full-time employee, a wife, a parent, and with other responsibilities, I often found myself carrying the responsibilities of many worlds at once.”

Dr Ntete explained that it has been a “heart-wrenching” yet very rewarding journey of self-discovery: “I am very grateful for the privilege it has afforded me to draw South Africa’s urgent attention to the devastating impact of an under-the-radar scourge that would have otherwise continued unabated, i.e., subprime mortgage fraud. As I pass on the baton, I do so in the hope that my work will inspire a corruption-resistant citizenry and future-ready forensic criminologists in particular, to take up arms. Today, much more than ever before, the prevailing circumstances in South Africa and indeed the African continent as a whole, demand all hands on deck in the ongoing battle against sophisticatedly organised economic crime.”

These two double doctorates hopefully set the scene for many to follow in forensic linguistics at UWC. On 8 and 9 October, a total of 776 graduates will walk the stage at the Jakes Gerwel Hall. 85 Doctoral Degrees and 186 Master's Degrees will be awarded.

For more information about this graduation session, CLICK HERE