By Natasha Joseph
Graduation ceremonies began at Stellenbosch University on Tuesday morning, with degrees awarded in the faculties of health sciences and law.
By Thursday morning, more than 3 500 students will have donned graduation gowns and been awarded their degree scrolls.
Thousands of proud parents and other family members packed into the DF Malan Memorial Hall on Tuesday morning and evening.
Martin Viljoen, a member of the university's communications department, said three honorary doctorates would be awarded on Thursday morning.
Apartheid-era human rights advocate Bram Fischer will be posthumously honoured with a DPhil. Fischer's nomination for the honorary doctorate had outraged some members of the university's academic community.
Stellenbosch University spokesperson Mohamed Shaikh said the university had taken note of "the divergent opinions" concerning Fischer's honorary doctorate. Shaikh said the award would go ahead "in the spirit of justice, equality and the restoration of human dignity that Fischer so selflessly pursued throughout his life".
One of Fischer's daughters, Ruth Fischer-Rice, will accept the award on behalf of her late father.
Also receiving honorary doctorates are Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Dr Brigalia Bam (DPhil) and Murray & Roberts managing director Brian Bruce (DEng).
Actress Annelize van der Ryst, who plays "Matrone" on the local soapie 7de Laan, is graduating with a BPhil in Bible Interpretation this evening.
"We are very pleased that a respected actress with so many years of experience is able to walk away with a degree from Stellenbosch," said Viljoen.