Zinhle Sibiya, hails from Zamokuhle village, Coronation, Vryheid,
situated approximately 40 minutes’ drive from Vryheid town, in KwaZulu-Natal. She attended KwaNotshelwa High School, her local non-fee-paying quintile 2 school. Being a quintile 2 school means that the parents are amongst the poorest in the country. Zinhle explains that they had all the basic things at her school that one needed to pass, although for some subjects they never had teachers and therefore the learners had to make a plan for themselves. She remembers one of her grades not having a physics teacher for over a year! Despite these challenges, she achieved in
the eighties in each of her seven matric subjects and enrolled at the University of KwaZulu-Natal to study medicine. From as early as primary school, she wanted to be a doctor, an oncologist specifically, but the dream faded until in Grade 10 she visited Vryheid District Hospital where her desire to become a doctor was reignited.
Surprisingly, being homesick was the greatest challenge Zinhle faced in the transition from high school to university - academically she was able to cope, obtaining distinctions and the
“Dean's Commendation” throughout her six-year qualification!
When asked about mentors in her life, she tells of a Maths teacher at her school who believed in her and pushed her to achieve even more. Like so many South Africans her grandmother (Gogo) brought her up, whilst her mother was the breadwinner after her father abandoned them when she was very young. Her grandmother, who never completed Grade 2, valued her education and would randomly arrive at her school to check on her and the school! In her fourth year at university, a Professor in Internal Medicine believed in her – she commented “I’m not sure what he saw in me, but he saw something, which motivated me to do even better”.
What does graduating Cum Laude (with praise) mean? It means that Zinhle achieved between 75 and 79% in every subject for the duration of her six-year qualification, without ever having a supplementary exam!
As a qualified doctor, Dr Zinhle Sibiya hopes that her story will inspire other youth to pursue their dreams and aim for excellence, despite their circumstances and background.
Her story highlights her resilience, grit, and tenacity –characteristics sought after in the world of work and highlights the value of embracing challenges rather than shunning them in order to succeed. Dr Zinhle Sibiya is the first graduate in her family and the first doctor in her community!