In the early 1980’s a young medical student’s dreams came crashing down. As an activist protesting the injustices of apartheid, Patricia Grace Rorich was arrested. When she was released, she was told she could no longer continue with her MBChB degree at Stellenbosch University (SU) and had to switch to a BSc in dietetics.

More than four decades later Patricia’s twin daughters, Clio and KD Sass, are graduating on the same day from SU. Clio earned a master’s degree in food science, awarded cum laude. KD completed her BSc in mathematical sciences: biomathematics last year. For the sisters, the occasion is layered with emotion. Their mother died of breast cancer when they were three, but her story has remained a guiding force throughout their lives.

“When we walk across the stage, we don’t walk for ourselves alone,” Clio says. “We walk for the sacrifices our mother and father made, and for the sacrifices made by their parents and siblings before them.”

Growing up in the shadow of sacrifice

KD and Clio grew up in Pinelands in Cape Town, surrounded by a large and supportive extended family. Both their mother, who had five siblings, and their father Ernest Sass, one of nine children, were raised in Elsies River. The sisters say their deep connection to their family and the community there has always reminded them that they stand on the shoulders of those who came before them. “As the saying goes, ‘it takes a village’,” Clio says. “Our aunties and uncles are like our second mothers and fathers.”

Even in her absence, Patricia’s life story remained central to their upbringing. From stories family members shared about their mother, the sisters remember her as “fiercely loyal, committed and forgiving”. They only learned the full details of the events that interrupted their mom’s studies when they were in Grade 11 and began considering universities.

“When we heard it, we just knew that we had to come to Stellenbosch,” says KD. “Her story meant that we couldn’t succumb to a spirit of victimhood. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but we can always grow forward if we strive forthrightly.”

Clio says the knowledge of their mother’s perseverance became a source of motivation during difficult moments. “It was a daily encouragement, knowing that she also faced academic struggles paired with the circumstances she found herself in while studying and being part of the struggle,” she says. “Her spirit kept us true.”

A bittersweet return 

During apartheid, Patricia was not allowed to live in residence because she was classified as coloured. Instead, she stayed with an uncle in Idas Valley while pursuing her studies.

For KD, the ability to live in a residence during her undergraduate years was a reminder of both progress and the injustices her mother endured. “Walking to class and living in a residence which I knew my mom was not afforded just brings so much humility – sadness for her and for so many others, but overall gratitude.”

Clio experienced her own sense of connection to their mother’s legacy through her choice of field. After being accepted to study food science, she realised the link to her mother’s academic path. “It felt very full circle being in a similar field to what our mother studied,” she says.

KD says her mom was also an inspiration during her difficult academic journey and the struggle to complete her degree in mathematical science. “My degree is typically completed in three years,” KD explains. “It took me six years and a Dean’s Concession to pass, but I made it.” Her perseverance, she says, was shaped by their mother’s example. “She never adopted a spirit of victimhood, and I had to carry that forward every day.” 

With a smile KD adds she bought a graduation dress in 2024, the year she first thought she’d made it. “I’m very happy to now be wearing that dress for the first time for my graduation!” 

Sisters walking the journey together

For their first four years as Maties, the twins lived in residences within walking distance of one another – KD in Erica and Clio in Nemesia – studying together and navigating the pressures of university life side by side. Both rose to leadership positions on campus such as becoming house committee members of their residences. Clio was primaria in the year she completed her food science degree.

“Having a built-in support system through our studies kept us together and made us grateful for the blessing of being twins,” says Clio.

Their relationship included moments of light-hearted rivalry amid the seriousness of academic life. KD recalls knocking on Clio’s window before a gym session at 05:00 because she had run out of toothpaste. “She squeezed some into a zip-lock bag and told me to go buy toothpaste later,” KD laughs. “That ability to be silly, to share and to depend on one another is priceless.”

Their father raised the twins after their mother’s passing and remained a steady presence throughout their lives and studies.

“The fact that Clio and KD are graduating on the same day makes this occasion exceptionally special,” says Ernest Sass. “When they were born, I could never have imagined that I would one day be their primary caregiver and provider. The sacrifices and uncertainties along the way were immense – and now, standing at this moment of their graduation, I am left speechless.” 

Patricia loved unconditionally, and she saw the good in everyone, Ernest recalls. “The twins resemble her in many ways – her quiet strength, her resolve, and even her humorous matter-of-fact manner of speaking to their ‘Pappa’.”

He often reminded the girls of their mother during their childhood. “I used to tell them that the brightest star in the heavens is their mommy looking out for them.”

Carrying a legacy of Grace

As graduation approached, the sisters imagined how their mother might have responded to the moment. “I think she would have cried,” says KD. “I would have cried with her, and our mascara would be running on the floor.” Even after more than two decades, her absence remains deeply felt. “It feels like there is a missing seat at our table without her.”

Yet Patricia’s influence continues to shape the way they see the world. Being called Grace suited her perfectly, the sisters say, reflecting on her middle name. “To live with grace is to show kindness, humility and goodwill,” Clio remarks. “Grace was not always given to my mother, yet she continued to give it freely to others. She rose above her circumstances, and we can all learn a powerful lesson from her life.”

That example is carried forward as the twins reflect on the joy of graduating together. “It’s a true blessing to study and graduate together. Not many siblings or people are given this opportunity,” Clio says and adds: “We carry ‘Mami Tessa’ with us every single day. We are grateful for the life God has given us and for the privilege of being her daughters. We miss her, but as we reach these milestones, we know that we are continuing her legacy.”