Unique leadership qualities affirm Alex’s ‘village boy’
ALEXANDRA - 'A village boy' from a humble home in the township is destined to go a long way with his unique leadership qualities that were an envy of many.
‘A village boy’ from a humble home in Alexandra is destined to go a long way with his unique leadership qualities.
Ayanda Nyathi of Tsutsumani Village in Alexandra was a darling of many at the annual graduation and prize-giving ceremony of the Student Sponsorship Programme (SSP) held at St John’s College in Houghton.
He was given a standing ovation before and after delivering his valedictory message on behalf of the SSP Class of 2014. This led one proud parent to remark later on that ‘leadership roles are not for everyone but a select few and he is one of that select few’.
Nyathi, 19, is a former matriculant of St Stithians College in Randburg who possesses potent public speaking skills and speaks with profound maturity.
Besides being deputy head boy, Nyathi, who beat 30 other pupils on the SSP programme to clinch the top achiever spot with distinctions in all eight of his subjects, was also the vice-head of the school choir, Dukes of Cornwell, and a deputy leader of the Student Representative Council.
Nyathi was also a Dux (Latin for leader) scholar at St Stithians College last year. He will be furthering his studies at the University of Cape Town in the field of chemical engineering, having obtained a scholarship already.
In his valedictory speech, the Alex born and bred boy who grew up in 8th Avenue before the family moved over to the ‘Last Gate’, a section of Tsutsumani, narrated a story of two village boys who became the most educated after coming from varsity.
The first one to be the golden boy of the village came and addressed the scantly educated villagers in bombastic terms and they could hardly comprehend what he was talking about, while the second golden boy came and spoke in simple terms that the villagers understood and he was highly decorated and idolised.
The village boy has spoken, he said in conclusion to his valedictory speech, and added that he hoped he did not speak in bombastic terms and that his audience understood and comprehended all he had to say.
