Siyamthanda Mtyeku sometimes only had one meal a day

Image: GroundUp/Peter Luhanga
Siyamthanda Mtyeku studied for matric in the one-roomed shack he shares with four other people in Marikana informal settlement in Cape Town – and passed with seven distinctions.
The 18-year-old had to contend with loud music pumping from the shebeen across the road. Some days the food he was given at school was the only meal of the day.
Yet Mtyeku emerged the top matric pupil at Sinenjongo High School, having achieved distinctions in all seven subjects and an 85% aggregate for his matric results.
His distinctions were in physical science, mathematics, English, computer applications technology, isiXhosa, life science and life orientation.
He says he adopted the motto “nothing is impossible” to motivate himself.