By Doreen Mokgolo
In the heart of Kwa-Thema, where dreams often battle the odds, a 17-year-old prodigy emerged from the shadows to claim the national throne of mathematical genius.
Musa Buthelezi from Zimisele Secondary School in Ekurhuleni, who entered the competition last year, was crowned the champion in the Grade 11 category in the National Accounting & Maths Olympiad 2023.
The competition sees Grade 11 and 12 learners from across the country showcasing their knowledge and skills in maths and accounting.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, Musa said going into the competition he was determined to attend all the scheduled sessions with the organisers and to find a way around the required resources that he lacked.
“One of the resources they required was a working camera, which I didn’t have. No one in my family had it or anyone I knew,” he said.
Instead, he used the local library for their laptops and internet connection. “Though I feared that the internet connection may be poor, I focused on the prize.”
He wanted to go through the competition without informing anyone in his family or his teacher.
“I only informed my mother when I had to go for the final leg of the competition held in Sefako Makgato University, Tshwane as my mother had to sign the consent form and I needed transport fare to the venue.
“I knew my unemployed mother could not afford the fare,” he said, “and would be heartbroken seeing my peers in newer school uniforms compared to mine, which was worn out.”
But she scraped up the money somehow, and Musa made it to the finals, competing against mostly private school learners.
“I promised myself that I would work hard to win the title to make her proud,” he said.
Musa said he only completed 55 of the 60 multiple-choice questions, but he consoled himself for taking the initiative to make it that far in the competition.
Three months after he’d participated in the finals, he discovered that he’d won, with 82.5%. The prize: a R5,000 gift voucher.
His teacher, Sakhele Duze, said though he wishes his top learner, now in Duze’s Grade 12 maths class, had informed him about the competition, he is proud that he has shown independence.
“I teach my learners to be critical thinkers in solving numbers and in life. This is one of the reasons we continue to have a Grade 12 maths class that continues to make us proud.
“We achieved 70.7% with five distinctions this year, a drop from the 76.7% with four distinctions,” he said.
Pictured above: Musa Buthelezi and teacher Sakhele Duze.
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
