Crystal Point Secondary's top matriculant walked 6km for six distinctions

In a true testament to the power of hard work and determination, Winny Olwethu Gumede, 18, from Amaoti, Inanda, has been celebrated as the top matriculant for 2025 at Crystal Point Secondary School in Phoenix.

Her achievement, securing six distinctions, is a beacon of hope for her community and an inspiration to local learners. Raised by her dedicated grandmother, Winny’s path to academic excellence was far from easy. She has walked over an hour, a six-kilometre trek, to and from school every day since Grade 8.

“If I had money, I would take a taxi, but mostly I walk,” she shared. At home, she plays a vital role, helping her grandmother raise four younger cousins and managing daily chores, including fetching water from a tanker and buying groceries. It was the challenging home situation that fueled her drive. “The situation at home is what inspired me to study hard. From a young age, I knew I wanted to change the situation at home,” Winny said.

Her dedication was unwavering; she often woke up in the early hours of the morning to study and attended extra classes on weekends. She earned her distinctions in English, Zulu, Maths Literacy, Life Orientation, Business Studies, and History. Her success has made her a pioneer in her family. “My aunt was the first one in our family to finish Matric, and now I am the first one to have six distinctions. My gran was so proud of me. She cried, and we all cried,” she recounted.

Winny is currently awaiting the outcome of her application to study nursing, a career she feels passionately about due to her desire to help people and ensure they receive the best medical treatment.

Crystal Point Secondary’s Principal, Vimala Naik, praised Winny’s achievement as proof that circumstances do not define potential. “Gumede is an example of individuals who see education as the way out of a situation. They are breaking generational issues within communities such as poverty. It is proof that you don’t have to be inhibited by your circumstances. You will be able to achieve despite all of that, but you need a team behind you, and I think that is where schools and the school community come in as well.”

To the incoming class of 2026, Winny offers a message of resilience: “No matter what obstacles or challenges you face in life, do not take it as an obstacle, no matter what preserve because I see that it worked with me and I am sure it will with others as well.”