Vhahangwele Rambau Plans to Work Hard to Complete his Electrical Engineering Course

Some of the world’s acclaimed musicians are reported to have displayed their talent very early in their lives. The late Whitney Houston and Micheal Jackson as well as Canadian-born popstar Justin Bieber – including many others, of course- are typical examples of such gems. Newly registered University of Zululand (UNIZULU) first-year student Vhahangwele Kenneth Rambau can also be described in a similar fashion – albeit his is a completely different situation.

Growing up in rural Thohoyandou in Limpopo, Rambau was fascinated by the inner workings of the field of electricity. He evidently had a knack for fixing appliances at home too. Kettles, irons, you name it. At first, his parents would scold him for “fiddling with their electrical appliances” but they soon relented, recognising that their little boy had simply taken after his paternal uncle. Just like his nephew, Rambau’s uncle has the Midas touch when it comes to tending to electrical issues, though he did not pursue an electrical engineering degree.

Rambau on the other hand, has taken decisive steps towards ensuring he one day qualifies as an electrical engineer. This week, he registered for a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering. To secure his spot in this academic programme, the young man curtailed his regular participation in the neighbourhood soccer games and redirected that time and energy to his studies.

“I wanted to meet the requirements, that’s why I stopped everything and focused on my books. It paid off because I was able to get distinctions for Venda, Life Orientation and Life Science. I got 78% in maths, 63% in physical science, 63% for English and 75% in Geography,” he said.

His plan is to apply this working formula throughout his academic journey with UNIZULU because he has major professional and personal goals to meet once he graduates four years from now.  

“I want to build my parents a house, secure a job at Eskom and focus on my own life in the city,” he shared. Most importantly, Rambau hopes to be a good role model for his younger brother and sister.

Background

Rambau comes from a family of seven. Together with his parents and two siblings, he lives with his paternal grandmother and uncle. Though his parents are employed in a nearby farm, they struggle to make ends meet because of the poor pay. Nevertheless, he has been raised to conduct himself with pride and study hard in order to better his future. In his spare time, the student said he likes to listen to music, particularly that sung in his mother tongue Tshivenda.

– Naledi Hlefane

Picture: Samkele Sokhela