Introducing Siyabonga Rasmeni

SIYABONGA Rasmeni, 17, a star pupil and skilled soccer player, hoped to study medicine when he left school.

Always willing to assist his classmates with their schoolwork, this Grade 11 pupil at Reuben Ntuli Senior Secondary School in Tyeni village was well respected by peers and teachers.

While Siyabonga’s elder sister pursued a degree in education, as does his youngest brother, he dreamed of being a doctor and assisting those in rural areas.

“He always spoke of how he was going to change the lives of many rural folk in terms of their access to health services, saying he was saddened to see them travelling long distances from their rural homes to access health services in town. Medicine was his dream and assisting the needy his aim,” said his street vendor mother Nomelikhaya.

“He was a brilliant soul who respected education and feared God. He never missed a single sermon on Sundays. He always made a point of attending church first before attending any Sunday soccer tournaments,” said his proud father Jacob.

Siyabonga died at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha on June 20 after allegedly being assaulted by his traditional nurse. There have been no arrests in connection with his death.