Exceptional Accomplishment for Msweli

Lihle Msweli, a young, dedicated and goal-orientated student originally from Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal is the top achiever in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering.

Msweli was studying towards his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology, a degree he strategically chose to be able to advance to a degree in medicine. With devotion, the young man obtained an outstanding overall mark of 82%.

The journey was not always smooth for him. He recalled failing Physics Test 1 and being angry at himself for having not met the standard. “I pushed myself to never ever fail again. That is when I dedicated myself to my studies,” Msweli told.

Msweli credits his family for their valuable support and always pushing him to work hard and making him believe that he can do better. While his father shaped his academic aspirations since he has a degree, his mother shaped his desire to achieve in other spheres of life.

Msweli looks up to Lionel Messi who has proven throughout his career that natural talent alone is not enough; it has to be nurtured and it goes hand-in-hand with hard work. “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent. The choices you make will shape your life forever,” Msweli reckoned.

His mantra is a quote from Malcom X’s autobiography which reads: “I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading has opened to me. I knew right that reading had changed, forever, the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.”

Msweli is currently studying towards an honours degree at UNIZULU.

• Precious Shamase