When Luyanda Ndlozi makes her journey to the University of Cape Town (UCT) to start her mechatronic engineering studies, she will be doing so with a new car that she won for being Mpumalanga’s best grade 12 performer.

For Luyanda, being committed to her studies and getting good results has helped change her family’s fortune for the better as a chance for improvements. In addition to the Toyota Vito, Luyanda also got a bursary, R50 000, a bar fridge, a microwave, and data.

“For me being named the overall best performer is a game changer at home.

“The monies donated by the sponsors will go a long way in helping me and my family.”

According to Luyanda, having everyone depend on her single mother was not easy.

“Life was not easy. I could see but could not help,” she said, becoming emotional.

Luyanda’s mom has been relying on odd jobs. Throughout her schooling at Elangwane Secondary School, she was staying with cousins and her grandmother in Volksrust.

Mpumalanga premier Mandla Ndlovu and education MEC Lindi Masina congratulated Luyanda at an awards ceremony held in Secunda to honour top achievers in the province.

Luyanda Ndlozi getting emotional while receiving keys to the car she won for being Mpumalanga’s top grade 12 achiever. (Mandla Khoza)

“I’m very emotional right now that I’ve been announced as the overall winner or performer for the 2025 academic year,” she said.

“I was not targeting this at all, but aiming to do well. The credit goes to my school, especially principal DJ Ngwenya, who always encouraged me, and my family, who let me study even when they wanted to send me on errands at home but let me study.

Luyanda said prioritising her studies over hobbies was the winning combination for her.

“For me, I prioritised my academics over anything else. I knew what came first in my life, which was my academics. That’s why we are here today; other things I put on hold.

“I did not believe that a learner from a small town of Volksrust could become like this, but yes, it is achievable; hence, I’m encouraging the 2026 learners to never doubt themselves. Anything is possible as long as you dedicate yourself.

“Again, working together and also helping each other is the way to go; people should know that a candle doesn’t lose its fire by lighting another one.”

Her mother, Nonhlahla Ndlozi, said she was the proudest parent in Mpumalanga.

“When my child (Luyanda) was named overall performer, I could not celebrate; I burst into tears.

“In 2025 I saw my child changing to spend more time studying and not even going out with friends.

“Her grandmother would get worried and tell me to talk to her to at least leave once. But when I did, she said she was OK with studying only in the house, and I had to leave her like that.

“What makes me happier is that apart from being the best, she got money, which means as someone who works part-time, I’m not going to have to borrow money for her to go to university. She has got all she needs for school,” said the mother.

Masina said she was very happy with the province’s performance, which is 86.55%, a 1.5% increase from 2024.

“As the province, we are pleased about the results and also congratulate the teamwork from teachers and everyone who played a part and the learners themselves.

“Yes, we did not achieve the 90%, which was our target, but we promise that come 2026 results, we will reach that target,” said Masina.