The sky is the limit for NWU’s only deaf graduate

In life, obstacles only limit a person as much as you want them to. This is especially true for NWU Pukke’s former deaf student, Qobo Ningiza, whose inspirational journey filled with hardships, hard work, and God’s Grace has led him to his first degree. Potchefstroom Herald caught up with Ningiza who is now continuing his studies at the University of Cape Town and asked him about the highs and lows of being the only deaf student on the NWU Puk campus and getting his treasured BA Law degree on graduation day this year.

1) Where were you born and how were your childhood and school years?

I was born and raised in Ntseshe village in Ngqamakhwe, rural Eastern Cape. I started my primary school in one of the local schools until Grade 7. I was hard of hearing during this period, which means I had a degree of hearing.I lost all hearing in 2004 and spent a few years at home, coming to terms with the change that neither I nor my family could accept at that stage.
In 2007, I enrolled at St Thomas School for the Deaf in King Williams Town and stayed there until I passed Grade 10, after which I moved to Filadelfia Deaf School for grades 11 and 12.

2) What were your biggest challenges in studying your degree?

I had a number of challenges in getting the degree. Firstly, I could not read or make notes during lectures because it is impossible to focus on the sign language interpreter and simultaneously read or write notes. I consequently missed out on crucial details discussed in the lecture and I depended solely on the notes I made in my own time and at my own pace. Often times, I felt overwhelmed because I was accustomed to having only 4 school subjects for most of my life.
During lectures, I mostly sat and listened but could not do anything else like the rest of the students were doing (reading from the textbook, study guides, and slides, or writing). I did feel that this deficiency had some influence on my academic performance, but we can never be certain since it cannot be proved.

3) What have been your greatest opportunities?

What I regard as the greatest opportunity to date is the fact that I got the chance to pursue my dreams, firstly at NWU and now at UCT. I was compelled to spend a gap year at home after finishing matric because my applications at various universities failed. It was NWU that gave me a chance to study when nobody else would. I received unsigned letters from different universities notifying me that my application had been unsuccessful, but no reasons were ever given. For this reason, the mere fact that I was accepted into a tertiary institution has been my greatest opportunity and privilege. I also had the opportunity to represent South Africa at the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section in Istanbul, Turkey last year.

4) How was hostel life at Veritas? How did the other students react and how was their acceptance level?

I will not lie, I isolated myself from hostel life and had a very lonely social life, in general. I literally had two places where I spent my time – in my room and in the classroom.
I only left my room when going to class or the shops to buy food and would head straight to my room after class/shop. The guys were nice and I did not sense any beef, except that we generally struggled to communicate and literally had no conversations at all except, “Hi, are you good?”

5) How did you communicate and understand the lectures? Can you explain how classes at NWU worked?

I had a sign language interpreter, Ananda van der Walt, at NWU. She used the English translation services on campus and then conveyed the information to me in sign language.

6) Do you believe that the interpretation was of a high standard? Do you think the support structures are in place?

My interpreter was awesome, one of the best in the country. It would be a pleasure to work with her again and I truly do miss her. The sign language interpretation was of a high standard.

7) Proudest moment at NWU Pukke?

The day I walked on stage to graduate, even though I embarrassed myself by mistakenly sitting in front of the rector instead of bowing! The nerves got the better of me.

8) Why did you transfer to UCT?

I transferred mainly because I wanted a better social life. UCT has a deaf community with three other deaf, sign language-using students who are my very good friends. I was the only deaf person at NWU and I felt lonely all the time, which I think was dangerous to my overall well being.

9) What are your biggest dreams?

My biggest dream is to make a difference in this continent of ours. I do not aim to limit myself in South Africa, I want to advocate for human rights elsewhere in Africa. My heart bleeds profusely when I see pictures of starving children/families in the Congo, Somalia, Zimbabwe and even locally. My biggest dream is to improve their lives in every possible way, especially with regards to security.

10) Motto in life?

“Do for others just what you want them to do for you” Luke 6:31

11) What advice can you give to other deaf students?

I am totally deaf, but people say I speak very well. It has often been said that the only difference between a deaf person and a hearing one is that one does not hear sound, the other does. I believe and accept this notion as well. If you want to do something, get up do it, we’ll discuss the problems later.