In her fourth and final year at the University of Pretoria, Maswanganyi began performing in the opera chorus at the State Theatre in Pretoria. Following graduation, she continued her operatic training at the Pretoria Technikon for three years. She portrayed the title role in a student production of Emmerich Kálmán's "Gräfin Mariza" during her first year in the program. Her performance led to an invitation to reprise the role for her professional opera debut with the Roodepoort City Opera. Other opportunities soon followed, including recitals given for Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki and a performance for the United Nations delegates at the Earth Summit 2002 in Johannesburg.