Mbilwi pupil hoists the school’s flag high

A Grade-12-pupil at Mbilwi Secondary School, one of the best-performing schools in the country,  has made his school and community very proud after winning a top international science competition.

Hamandishe Mathivha (17) of Sibasa started his winning spree by winning the National Science Olympiad while in Grade 10 in 2013. For his achievement, he won a trip to London. In 2014, he won the competition for the second time and went to Australia as part of his prize.

This year he won the competition once more and received R40 000 in prizes. The Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor, congratulated him, referring to him as a "science olympiad veteran". As if that was not enough, Mathivha also won a prize in the Physics Olympiad, hosted by the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP).  He came second, winning himself a silver certificate and R1000 in cash for his efforts. As part of their prizes, the winners will also attend a conference in Cape Town next year.

The prizes were handed over at the school on Monday by the president of the South African Physics Olympiad and also a former pupil of Mbilwi, Prof Azwindini Muronga of the University of Johannesburg. Muronga said the competition was aimed at raising awareness in physics and its importance in people’s daily lives. He said it was also aimed at identifying pupils with ability in physics with the aim of encouraging them to follow it at tertiary level.

The ecstatic principal of the school, Mr Cedric Lidzhade, could not hide his happiness. “We are a winning school and this is history for our school. We are so excited as this will also encourage other pupils to study harder and to enter competitions,” he said.

News - Date: 11 September 2015

Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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