This shy 18-year-old will soon be among the students of the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, where she will further her studies in medicine (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) to become a general practitioner.

Intrigued by the world of medicine, Nxumalo followed a series of medical shows on television from an early age and said she always knew she wanted to become a doctor, not to work or own a private practice, but to build and operate her own state-of-the art medical facility one day.

Nxumalo faced adversity before she could even speak as her mother passed away when she was a fragile baby of 17 months old. For the first five years of her life she was primarily raised by her father, before he later remarried.

“Looking back, I am in awe of what my father has done for his family. Not only is he my biggest motivation and inspiration in life, but he too is an intelligent man who studied and qualified to become an engineer. From the day I can remember, my father encouraged me to always study hard and stay motivated,” she said.

Nxumalo and her siblings were initially raised in Standerton, but she attended Nigel Primary School from second grade onward when the patriarch of the family relocated to Nigel. It was soon evident that Nxumalo was destined for great things when she achieved top marks and remained one of the top academic learners throughout her primary and high school career.

“Learning comes easy for me, especially Mathematics. I always paid attention in class and I gave it my all. I worked hard, even on weekends to ensure that I stay at the top of my game,” she said.

Not much of an athlete, Nxumalo said she played netball in primary school, but she made a choice to rather excel in academics as soon as she entered high school and therefore decided not to encounter distractions such as sports.

Other important role-players who contributed to her success are Klarinda Stander (Mathematics teacher), Laura-Lee Pistorius (Afrikaans teacher) and Marga Groenewald (Life Science teacher).

“My advice to the next matric group is to dream big. There’s a saying that I like which says: “do not let small minds convince you that your dreams are too big. Always believe in yourself,” the smart young lady said.