Like father, like daughter: Kganyago’s maths prodigy gets 11 distinctions

The apple does not fall far from the tree. This adage certainly rings true to Mmabodiba Kganyago who achieved 11 distinctions after writing the 2023 matric examinations, making her old man proud.

Mmabodiba is the daughter of an equally brilliant maths maestro in the country’s reserve bank governor, Lesetja Kganyago.

A pupil from Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria, Mmabodiba is now on her way to university to study actuarial science, because like her dad, she has a passion for numbers. Well, she did do four maths subjects among her other subjects, achieving As for all.

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These were maths, further studies maths, alpha maths, and advanced maths.

Head girl

In addition to this, Mmabodiba studied, accounting, physical sciences, life orientation, English, life sciences, music, and Sepedi first additional language.

As though her plate wasn’t already full enough, Mmabodiba was also the head girl of her high school.

She also dedicated a large amount of her time to community work.

But, Mmabodia had her fair share of hardship during her matric year as she lost her grandmother.

The young achiever told News24: “I knew I had to just keep going and succeed for my grandmother because she was very passionate about education. I have dedicated my results to her,” she said.

ALSO READ: Matric results: ‘SA’s beacon of hope’

High achievers

Mmabodia’s dad is certainly very proud of her. A high achiever himself, the economist and central banker – who hails from Limpopo – holds a number of qualifications.

In 1991, he completed his bachelor of commerce (BCom) degree. Additionally, he attained a master of science in development economics from SOAS, University of London, in 1994. Furthermore, he has acquired various certificates and diplomas in management, economics, and finance from globally renowned institutions such as the Wits Business School and Harvard University.

He is very instrumental in the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee Schools Challenge which is targeted at grade 12 pupils and seeks to expose pupils to how the Monetary Policy Committee sets the repurchase (repo) rate.