Three Kearsney Old Boys embody Madiba’s spirit
They embody the true spirit of Madiba and are passionate about serving as an inspiration to South Africans.
KEARSNEY College Old Boys, Mpumelelo Mhlongo (25), Zain Bana (24) and Phoka Mchunu (19) were three of 100 young South Africans chosen for their remarkable drive to succeed in their personal lives and making a difference in the lives of others.
They embody the true spirit of Madiba and are passionate about serving as an inspiration to South Africans.
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An exceptionally talented all-rounder and leader, Mhlongo speaks six languages: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, isiZulu, French and Portuguese and is a three-time Sportsperson of the Year at the University of Cape Town.
At Kearsney, he was awarded the trophy for “perseverance, displaying courage in overcoming difficulties, scholastic achievement and success in sport and leadership”.
Two weeks after presenting his chemical engineering PhD proposal on converting recycled plastic to diesel, T44 Paralympian, Mhlongo was setting world records on the athletic field. He competed at the 2016 Paralympic Games in two events and at the 2015 and 2017 World Champs in four events.
He has been recognised as a Young Mandela for his lobbying of the International Paralympic Committee to revise their classification rules and separate blade runners and jumpers from people with lower limb deficiencies.
Bana, who co-founded the NGO Black Young and Gifted (BYG), is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives through leading a variety of business and project-based interactions.
BYG supports South African students of colour who are entering postgraduate studies through funding and mentoring within the Civil Engineering discipline. Bana was instrumental in the NGO receiving a R1 million worth of funding from Gautrain, which also resulted in his recognition by UCT.
Last year’s head prefect at Kearsney, Phoka Mchunu, founded the Generation We movement at school.
Taking to heart Madiba’s comment that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow, Mchunu established a small but dynamic group of KZN high school pupils from different and diverse backgrounds, across seven independent and government schools, who strive to inspire and empower one another through sharing their stories.
“We, the youth of South Africa, need to find a common thread that binds us together which will assist in identifying our role in building a united and prosperous country,” he said.
The Young Mandelas were chosen on Mandela Day from hundreds of nominations to remind South Africans that the characteristics Nelson Mandela embodied compassion, creativity, leadership, vision and resilience, are still thriving today.
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