An 18-year-old Mbilwi Secondary School pupil has become the toast of the district after being selected to represent South Africa during the 53rd Science Olympiad in London.
Mbilwi, which has consistently achieved good Grade 12 results, has also been producing many participants at the prestigious event over the years. The latest achiever is Anza Tshipetane of Tshisahulu, who is also president of the learner representative council.
The competition is run by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement and the National Science Olympiad.
She left the country on Friday and will spend a week in London.
"This is the best thing to have happened in my life and I will make use of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The trip is a learning curve, which will broaden my horizon in the field of science. I will come back and share what I will get there with the rest of my country," she said.
Tshipetane, who aims to study nuclear medicine at the University of Cape Town, urged other learners not to take competitions for granted, as they are platforms that could open opportunities for them to shine in the outside world.
School principal Cedric Lidzhade described Tshipetane as a very dedicated learner and said he had no doubt that she would hoist the country's flag very high. "We are very humbled and we are very confident that she will bring back a wealth of knowledge and share with us back here," he said.