By: Lance Myburgh
For Zozibini Mapoma, the journey to Rhodes University began long before she received her student card. It started in Makhanda, the town she was born and raised in, where she grew up in a multi-generational household with her mother, uncle and grandparents. Those local roots, she reflected, shaped her sense of responsibility and perseverance long before she imagined herself walking through the gates of a university.
Registered for a Bachelor of Arts degree, Mapoma’s story is one of quiet excellence, resilience and the power of access-focused pathways that allow talent to flourish in ways that serve the broader public good. Her journey speaks directly to Rhodes University’s mission of advancing knowledge and opportunity in ways that benefit society, not only through research but through the people it nurtures.
Mapoma completed her entire schooling career at Hoërskool PJ Olivier, from primary school through to matric. Academically, she consistently stood out, placing among the top five learners in her class from Grade 4 until Grade 12. Leadership also became a defining part of her school experience. “In my last year of primary, I had the privilege of being a prefect,” she said, a responsibility she later carried again in Grades 11 and 12. These roles demanded discipline, maturity and balance, qualities that would later become crucial in her transition to higher education.
Her schooling journey, however, was not without difficulty. As a non-Afrikaans speaker at an Afrikaans-medium school, she initially faced language barriers that could have easily limited her progress. “As a non-Afrikaans speaker, learning the language was a big challenge,” she explained, but it was one she confronted head-on. Through persistence, she quickly grasped the language, proving that with the proper support and determination, structural barriers can be overcome.
Another challenge lay in balancing leadership responsibilities with academic performance. “Balancing my academics and responsibilities as a prefect was also something that I had to work on,” she noted. This experience sharpened her time-management skills and reinforced the importance of structured support systems, an insight that would later resonate strongly in her journey beyond school.
Mapoma’s pathway to Rhodes University was shaped significantly by her involvement with GADRA, an organisation that works closely with learners navigating complex educational transitions. She first joined through the 9/10ths programme, where she was introduced to practical strategies for managing workload and time. “Through that programme I learnt how to manage my time properly and how to manage my workload,” she reflected.
In 2025, she joined the GADRA Matric School, a step she initially experienced as a setback after not entering university straight after matric. “At first I felt like it was a setback,” she admitted. Yet it was precisely this moment that became transformative. With consistent encouragement and academic support, she reached what she described as her “full potential” and successfully improved her marks to meet university requirements.
This access-focused intervention reflects a broader philosophy that aligns closely with Rhodes University’s commitment to serving the common good. By recognising potential and investing in developmental pathways, institutions and their partners ensure that talent is not lost due to circumstance. Instead, it is cultivated for the benefit of society at large.
The moment Mapoma registered at Rhodes University was deeply symbolic. “Registration felt like a huge milestone that I reached,” she said. After the disappointment of delayed entry into university, receiving her student card marked a turning point. “That moment felt like a dream come true,” she reflected, even as she acknowledged feeling nervous about what lay ahead. The milestone represented more than personal achievement; it marked the success of a system designed to widen access while maintaining academic purpose.
Now pursuing a BA degree, Mapoma is acutely aware of the doors her studies have opened. “Doing a BA means that I have opened doors for several fields I can get into,” she said. Looking ahead, she hopes to further her studies and sees herself, within the next five years, as “a qualified journalist or any other field where I get to interact with others daily”.
Mapoma’s story demonstrates how access-driven educational pathways can unlock individual potential with far-reaching consequences. From a local upbringing in Grahamstown to the prospect of contributing to public life through communication and engagement, her journey illustrates the human impact behind institutional commitments to transformation and the common good.
In nurturing students like Zozibini Mapoma, Rhodes University affirms that research, teaching and access are not abstract ideals. They are lived experiences that, when supported, enable individuals to contribute meaningfully to a more informed, inclusive and socially responsive world.