In the quiet town of Mookgophong—known to many as Naboomspruit in Limpopo—a young boy once stood beside two remarkable women selling fried fish and second-hand clothes to survive. Today, that same boy is a respected mathematics educator, entrepreneur, and proud alumnus of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), transforming the academic trajectories of thousands of learners across South Africa.
Thapelo Rafapa’s story is one of resilience, redemption, and divine purpose. Raised by his grandmother and her sister, Rafapa grew up witnessing unwavering determination. “My grandmothers were my first example of strength,” he reflects. “They never allowed circumstances to define them. Watching them work tirelessly planted something in me—a refusal to quit.”
Yet adolescence tested that foundation. Like many young boys navigating identity and peer pressure, he drifted into destructive habits—smoking, drinking, and stealing from the very home businesses that sustained his family. His wake-up call came in Grade 10 when he received a zero for a Pure Mathematics assessment. “That zero was more than a mark,” Rafapa says. “It was a mirror. It forced me to confront who I was becoming.”
A pivotal friendship with top-performing learner Jerry Thoka became the turning point. Inspired by Thoka’s discipline, Rafapa recalibrated his focus. By the end of the year, he ranked second in Mathematics. Together, the two friends held extra classes for classmates and committed to late-night study sessions. That same year, Rafapa gave his life to Christ—a decision that grounded his academic and personal transformation.
After matric, financial barriers threatened to derail their ambitions. Though accepted into universities including Wits, registration fees were unaffordable. Determined not to remain idle, they enrolled in an engineering N-course in Witbank, enduring nights sleeping at a police station and long walks to classes—only to discover the college was unregistered. “It felt like everything was collapsing,” Rafapa recalls. “But we refused to surrender.”
Hope arrived three weeks later. SMU—then widely known as Medunsa—offered them places in a BSc programme, but registration required R5 000. In an extraordinary turn of events, strangers stepped in. A doctor from Cape Town sponsored Thoka, while Dr. Mathosa, an SMU graduate from Rafapa’s township, offered to fund his studies. “I still call him my angel in human form,” Rafapa says. “He didn’t just pay fees. He restored my dignity.”
In 2015, Rafapa registered for a BSc in Mathematical Sciences at SMU, majoring in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. Although his late uncle had dreamed of him studying Medicine, Rafapa knew his calling lay elsewhere. “At SMU, I wasn’t becoming a doctor,” he says with conviction. “I was becoming what I had always envisioned—a mathematician with purpose.”
University life birthed more than academic success. During his first year, Rafapa started a small prayer group that evolved into a thriving campus ministry. It was there that he met Tshidi, who would later become his wife. “SMU gave me more than a qualification,” Rafapa shares. “It gave me my life partner and a spiritual family.”
The journey was not without struggle. He repeated his third year and worked tirelessly as a tutor to support his unemployed mother. Travelling to learners’ homes after lectures, Rafapa earned income while nurturing what would become his life’s mission—unlocking mathematical potential.
After graduating, Rafapa joined Seriously Addictive Mathematics (S.A.M), a Singapore-originated programme developing foundational skills in young learners. Within a year, he was promoted to Centre Manager. But his vision extended further. In 2019, Rafapa formally registered the School of Mathematics Extra Lessons. By 2020, he had been recruited by Curro Academy in Soshanguve, where he was promoted to Subject Head of Mathematics within six months.
Research revealed a sobering truth: South Africa was the first country to introduce Mathematical Literacy as an alternative due to widespread struggles with Mathematics. For Rafapa, this was a call to action. “Too many dreams die at the hands of Mathematics,” he says. “If we change how we teach and support learners, we change the nation’s future.”
Partnering with Tsietsi Joseph Mojapelo, he co-founded SOMELPSA Tutoring Academy in Pretoria North. The academy expanded rapidly, offering multiple subjects from Grade R to Grade 12. In 2023, a Sandton branch launched under the leadership of Thoka—bringing their journey full circle.
Today, SOMELPSA employs 27 staff members and has impacted thousands of learners nationwide. One former student became the top-performing learner among Curro DBE schools, later graduating in Actuarial Science from UCT and securing a position at Deloitte. Another learner, Hangwani Mabogo, realised her dream of studying Medicine at SMU after Rafapa assisted her.
“When my students succeed, it feels like my grandmothers’ prayers are still being answered,” he reflects.
In honour of Dr Nchaupe Pontius Mathosa, Rafapa now sponsors three high school learners, covering uniforms, books, and mentorship. SOMELPSA also provides free extra lessons to learners whose families cannot afford tutoring.
As a proud SMU alumnus, Rafapa carries forward the legacy of compassion and excellence that once carried him. His message to young people is simple yet profound: “If we join hands together, we have it within ourselves to change our nation.”
By Dimakatso Modise
