By Shonani Mufamadi
Meet 24-year-old Mmakgonchane Minah Matheta, the Phake Village-born and aspiring Zoologist honours student who graduated cum laude and swept the University of Limpopo’s (UL) School of Molecular and Life Sciences (SMLS) awards board this year. She was awarded Best Student for Bachelor of Science (BSc) Level III, Overall Best Student (BSc Level II), Overall Best Student for BSc (Life Sciences), and Overall Best Student in the SMLS School, a feat achieved through unwavering dedication, a passion for animals, and mentorship that shaped her journey into academic excellence.
“BEING RECOGNISED AMONG SUCH BRILLIANT PEERS IS OVERWHELMING,” said Matheta. “THESE AWARDS ARE A TESTAMENT TO MY MENTORS, MY FAMILY, AND THE FAITH THAT HAS GUIDED ME THROUGH EVERY CHALLENGE.”
But her excellence has never been a straight path. She navigated the odds of pregnancy in her final year. Fatigue, long nights, and relentless pressure, “SOME DAYS WERE EXHAUSTING,” she recalls. “BUT I PUSHED FORWARD BECAUSE I REFUSED TO LET CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE MY SUCCESS.”
Mentorship has been her guiding star. Inspired by Prof Derek Engelbrecht, Mokgadi Modiba, Peter Mokumo, and Alex Ramulifho, Matheta not only learned the nuances of Zoology but discovered the power of inspiring others. She sought to change the perception of the subject as a “nightmare,”
Her lessons go beyond textbooks. “ASKING FOR HELP DOESN’T MAKE YOU WEAK; IT MAKES YOU WISER. PERSISTENCE MATTERS MORE THAN PERFECTION. COMMUNICATION IS AS VITAL AS KNOWLEDGE.”
And behind it all, family support and faith, her mother, Johanna Matheta, Samuel. Modiba, and belief in Modimo wa Thaba ya Sione kept her steady.
Now, Matheta’s journey continues with her Honours in Zoology under the supervision of Dr. Zamantungwa Mnisi, with co-supervisors Prof. Wilmien Luus-Powel and Collins Mashilwane. Her research, “EVALUATING FISH HEALTH AND GUT MICROBIOTA DIVERSITY AS MEASURES OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AT TWO DAMS IN MPUMALANGA AND LIMPOPO PROVINCES, SOUTH AFRICA,” investigates how environmental factors affect fish, aiming to improve water quality and food security.
“THE RESEARCH HAS DIRECT APPLICATIONS FOR WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SECURITY,” Matheta explained.
By uncovering sources of pollution and ways to mitigate them, her work promises tangible benefits for ecosystems and communities alike.
“ZOOLOGY IS ALIVE, FASCINATING, AND FULL OF POSSIBILITIES,” she said “IF I CAN SHIFT EVEN ONE STUDENT’S MINDSET AND SHOW THEM ITS BEAUTY, THEN EVERY CHALLENGE I FACED WAS WORTH IT.”
Her story is proof that excellence isn’t just only measured in grades, but it’s in impact, resilience, and the courage to light the way for others.
