Wow to professor and pupil: iLIVE

If we had a few more academics like Professor Jonathan Jansen and young pupils like Zandile Kwela, I am convinced this country would already be a superpower.

Jansen’s account (Where is our dignity? 10 Jan) of how he tracked Kwela to her humble home in the back-and-beyond of KwaZulu-Natal to offer her a place at his university free of charge is one of the most heart warming and encouraging I have read for many years.

Of course there is nothing new in bright young pupils from severely disadvantaged backgrounds making it to university.

But it’s the first time I’ve come across a university head actually tracking down a young diamond in the wilds of Umlazi (using Facebook nogal), phoning her up and introducing himself. I can only imagine what must have gone through the young woman’s sharp mind when he said:

"We would like to invite you to study at our university without paying a cent. Are you interested?"

I’m pretty sure Jansen will not be disappointed. I’m pretty sure Kwela will not be disappointed either.

Wow.