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The 18-year-old currently resides in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay after relocating from Khayelitsha last year. Her subjects comprised of mathematics, geography, life science and history. But, she made a lasting impression on the school’s matriarchal principal Siphathisiwe Nkala-Nkohla who noted her excellence, in spite of troubling adversity.
Emerging victorious after the matric final exams of 2023, Siphesihle Mpofu from Silikamva High School in Hout Bay, who joined the school in Grade 12, passed her subjects with a bachelor grading despite challenging circumstances at home.
Silikamva made history as its matric class of 2023 had a 93% record pass rate, compared to a low pass rate of 40% less than five years ago (“Silikamva enjoys 93% pass rate”, People’s Post, 23 January).
The 18-year-old currently resides in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay after relocating from Khayelitsha last year. Her subjects comprised of mathematics, geography, life science and history. But, she made a lasting impression on the school’s matriarchal principal Siphathisiwe Nkala-Nkohla who noted her excellence, in spite of troubling adversity.
“My mother wasn’t treating me well, especially after my father’s death last year in August. She was very abusive,” Siphesihle reservedly admitted.
She is comforted by the presence and influence of her caring uncle Siseko Yeki. “He really helped me to work hard and he always inspired me,” she related.
As to other sources of inspiration: “I look up to my grandmother. She is my role model as she always saw that I have a strong potential and irrigated it to grow into my success so far.”
She was additionally comforted by attending therapy sessions at school “which made me strong and also helped with grieving the loss of one parent”. Although, in certain ways she was suffering a loss of both her parental influences.
Now, Siphesihle’s dream is to be a businesswoman who believes in women empowerment and development. “I believe in the next five years I will own plenty of land and farms that can employ many individuals. I loved geography as a subject which stems from my love of agriculture.
“I am also a very active young woman who plays netball, enjoying additional talents like singing and drawing.”
To her peers at Silikamva and the Class of 2024, she had this to say: “To be successful you need guidance and in order to have that you need to be self disciplined.”
She advises matriculants and learners to manage their time and sacrifice anything that may affect one’s studies. “Always seek better understanding when you don’t understand something in your subjects. Remember . . . hard work breeds success!”
She expressed her unfailing belief in teachers and students of Silikamva.
“I pray that God can give them power to work together until the very end. As Mrs Nkohla would say, ‘we will reach the target’!
“I would like to leave my former school with this Bible verse: Isaiah 40:41.”
