When you plan to establish a Girls’ School of Excellence where dreams can come true, people notice. Even the President of the country does.

North-West University (NWU) alumna and postdoctoral fellow Dr Musawenkosi Saurombe recently met with the ANC top six leaders – headed by President Cyril Ramaphosa – at Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters.

She was invited along with Mr Thulasizwe Makhanya, CEO of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke Institute (CMMI)*, to share the imminent plans of establishing a Girl’s School of Excellence in Gauteng.

This school project has been underway since 2017.

Dr Saurombe, an ambassador of the institute, says by establishing this school, they want to give young girls a platform to believe in their talents, equip themselves with confidence and skills to excel, and realise their dreams.

“I presented our ideas to the President and his fellow top-six leaders and their response and assurance of support was overwhelming,” she says. “We as the CMMI are excited to see this project evolve into something bigger than we had initially anticipated.”

*Charlotte Mannya Maxeke Institute (CMMI) was established to preserve the legacy of Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke.

Charlotte Mannya Maxeke became the first black South African woman to attain a BSc degree in 1901. Pushing boundaries, Charlotte fought patriarchy and worked to emancipate women. She was the only woman to attend the first ANC conference in 1912 and became the first President of the Bantu Women’s League, the forerunner of the ANC Women’s League.

 Dr Musa Saurombe with the president of the ANC and the country, Mr Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa.