Rural boy makes KZN proud

Qiniso Ngiba (17) has made his rural village in Ndwedwe and the province proud by coming second among the national top achievers in the quantile three (rural schools) category.
Qiniso lost both his parents before he had even completed grade one. The former Lihlithemba Technical High School pupil was one of the outstanding performers who were honoured by the education minister Angie Motshekga when she delivered the matric results last Tuesday.
“I do not think I have ever been so happy in my life than when I heard that I got nine distinctions. It is all thanks to God and the people who were by my side through the past 12 years of school.”
He said none of this would have been possible had not his paternal grandparents taken him in when he was orphaned. He has lost both his parents and his  maternal grandparents by the time he was five years old.
“My father died when I was about two-years-old and in 2003 when I was in grade one I lost both my mother and my maternal grandmother who were living with me in Tongaat,” said Qiniso.
His grandmother Dombi Ngiba (65) described the period after the loss of Qiniso’s parents as a difficult time but said God’s grace saw them through it.
Qiniso scored distinctions in English, Afrikaans, Mathematics, Life Orientation, Physical Science, Life Sciences and Business Economics.
His teacher, Mr Ndlovu described Qiniso as a very smart and dedicated young man with strong Christian values.
“As a teacher in charge of the Student Christian Organisation (SCO) in our school I spent a lot of time with Qiniso and I was able to see the person he is outside the classroom. His concern for others’ well being really touched me,” said Ndlovu.
The Lihlithemba Technical High School’s 2013 Dux plans to study chemical engineering, probably at UKZN or Wits but he is yet to decide.