?If the Van der Merwe twins were competitive, it might have mattered that Dan received her Master's degree three months before Jess did at Stellenbosch 肆客足球 (SU). But the only time when you'll find the formidable sisters locked in fierce battle is during boardgames such as Monopoly. The rest of the time they're each other's greatest supporters.
Dan received a MSc in Animal Science in December and Jess received her Master's in Linguistics this week.
At the end of last year, Jess came to prominence when she published a moving book about living with severe physical challenges. Her autobiography, Broken and Beautiful, is a poignant and witty exploration of her struggles with cerebral palsy and how she learnt to take control of her life, advocate for herself and find strength in accepting help from others. In the book, Jess wrote about her special relationship with her twin sister, noting that Dan has always supported and inspired her to take on challenges.
Having a twin makes the burden of disability lighter to bear, Jess shared. When they were young, Dan often stood up for her, carried her school bag when she was on crutches, and helped others understand why she was different or slower. When the twins attended Rhenish Girls' High School where they were both excelled academically, Dan partnered with Jess for hockey drills when no one else wanted to and carried her when she sprained her ankle or tore ligaments.
While she worked on her Master's degree, Jess faced many obstacles. She became seriously ill in 2024 and spent many weeks in hospital after she contracted an antibiotic-resistant superbug. Asked how she managed to complete her thesis while being so ill, Jess says her personality doesn't allow her to give up on something once she started. “My mom says I've always been feisty. Working on my Master's was a welcome distraction from all the medical stuff and hospital visits, because it gave me something else to focus on."
Jess credits Dan, family and friends (especially her best friend Hannah Chemaly) and her supervisor, Prof Frenette Southwood, and Prof Heather Brookes for providing invaluable support to make it through her Master's.
Although the twins didn't exactly exchange study tips during their postgraduate marathon, Jess says they are both 'put your head down and get it done' types. “It was really nice to be able to chat to someone who was going through exactly the same thing. We both felt that we were not alone and that our twin truly understood the 'pain' we were going through."
Dan describes herself as a fun-loving introvert. She says Jess is also an inspiration to her. “I'm a very routine bound, consistency-based person and Jess very often breaks me out of my comfort zone to try new things such as going to Bali and Thailand."
Her strongest suit is a knack for being calm and logical when it comes to chaos, Dan says. “I'm like one of those bomb-proof police horses. When mole hills seem like mountains, I have the ability to render them back to their original size. I would also say that even in the hard times I can bring out my joke side and hopefully bring some joy back to the room."
Dan notes although they don't look alike, people often don't realise how similar she and Jess are. “In school we took similar subjects up until Grade 10 but even then, we weren't really in competition. We've always been raised to recognise the effort we put in and not just results. Our mom always said, 'you can only do your best' and I feel like that encouraged us to work for our own sense of achievement."
Jess' advocacy for people with disabilities comes naturally to her, Dan says. “Jess has been outspoken since she could speak. It's been a privilege to walk this journey beside her. Watching her in this role has felt as natural as growing up with her."
It is clear the two young women have inherited their perseverance, determination and academic talent from their mother Dr Alison Bennie. She completed her PhD in Botany and Zoology at SU in 2002, when Dan and Jess were two years old and their brother five. Alison worked at SU before she became a teacher at Rhenish Girls' High School.
The twins' Master's topics were very different. Jess explored how children with autism, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and typically developing children acquire ellipsis – the omission of words that are understood from context. She wanted to contribute to a better understanding of first-language development in children with speech and language disorders.
Dan's Master's research in Animal Science focused on finding alternatives to antibiotics in broiler nutrition. She investigated the use of an organic acid as a potential replacement and found promising results, suggesting it could be a viable option. Her work contributes to efforts aimed at reducing antibiotic resistance and residues, ultimately benefiting both livestock and consumers.
After all the academic slog, the twins agree that graduating is a fabulous feeling. “It's a bit of a relief when you finally can hold that certificate, almost surreal now that the journey has been completed," Dan says.
Although Jess insists she doesn't like big celebrations, getting a Master's degree is a good reason to make an effort. “I will most likely go out for a celebratory lunch or dinner with my family," she smiles.
From left to right: Jess van der Merwe, Dr Alison Bennie and Dan van der Merwe.
?PHOTO: Stefan Els?
