Tribulations lead him to publish his journey one page at a time
Author Thabang Kgwatalala says despite his challenges of learning how to read and write, he never gave up on becoming a better learner.
“Growing up, I was deemed a slow learner, meaning my ability to learn and grasp academic concepts was staggered and that affected my self-confidence and academic performance at school.
“I continued to read books, including the dictionary, and practiced writing sentences every day as I wanted to excel in both oral and written language,” the 25-year-old said.
Thabang, who resides in Madiba Park, says his passion for reading and writing grew deeper the more he excelled from Gr 10 onwards.
“I became one of the top achievers at my school,” he said.
Since matriculating, Thabang has written five books, of which two were published. He wrote the books with the aim of creating awareness around mental health and the importance of having a healthy mindset. He says the books’ content includes his life’s journey, failures and successes he has managed to achieve.
“After matriculating from Hoërskool Noorderland, I enrolled towards an actuarial sciences qualification at the University of Pretoria but I was soon forced to drop out as I wasn’t coping with the work load,” he said.
Thabang says sitting at home did not do him any justice and his parents advised him to return to his studies, which he did.
“During my return, I was diagnosed with depression and failed to sit for my second semester exams at UL. I was enrolled in a mathematical sciences course.
“I had a mental breakdown, I was not coping and at the time I had no idea that I had depression, nonetheless what it actually was and how to deal with it.
“I was then admitted to a mental health institution for about two months, which led to a formal diagnosis called bipolar personality disorder. I was given medication to help me deal with the illness and so far I’m doing well,” he added.
Thabang advises anyone who feels like they do not have any control of their emotions, to seek medical help as the end results are not always positive.
“Some people unfortunately succumb to the illness and take their own lives as it does overwhelming,” he said.
For more information about Thabang’s books, contact him via Facebook (Thabang Kgwatalala), WhatsApp (083 290 3293) or via e-mail (kgwatalala68@gmail.com).
