Three months after the fire …

“Quiet please! Settle down everyone.” Mrs Manzini, the Principal of Eqinisweni Secondary School tries to keep the students calm: the new SRC is about to be announced.

The students quieten down, eager to hear who their new leaders will be.

“Our Head Boy for this year is … Moses Mashale!” announces the Principal.

As Moses walks up to the stage, the students chant “Viva!” and clap. He is popular – captain of the soccer team, an A student, not to mention good looking.

“Congratulations Moses,” says Principal Manzini. “And now our Head Girl. Help me welcome on stage – Gcina Nxumalo!”

I am in shock, and so is everyone else. The murmuring in the crowd rumbles across assembly: “What? Why her?”

I walk up on stage, still not sure if I heard right. Principal Manzini and the teachers start to clap and so the students follow. The Principal shakes my hand and pins the SRC badge on my blazer.

It’s unreal. Why was I made Head Girl? There are other candidates with better marks, involved in school sports activities, people who are popular. I don’t even know where to begin being Head Girl!

“Gcina – congratulations!” says Nombulelo, my friend and neighbour.

“Thanks Lelo. I was not expecting this hey. In fact I was not even interested. Who could have nominated me?”

“Uhm … I think I am guilty of that one,” Nombulelo confesses.

“Oh Lelo, do you know what a big responsibility this is?”

“I couldn’t have been the only one. All the students who get fed from the soup kitchen probably voted for you as well. Mr Dlamini is very proud of how you managed to get a sponsor for the soup kitchen after the fire,” says Nombulelo.

“Oh Nombulelo that wasn’t even me. My mom is the one who spoke to her bosses at the supermarket and got them to agree.”

“You must give yourself credit Gcina. You are there every day, sacrificing your break time. Some of those students really depend on that soup kitchen for a meal.”

“So Lelo, will everyone now be expecting such from me: free food and other things?”

“Just be yourself Gcina. You will know what to do,” says Lelo confidently.

“I will see you in class then. The Principal wants to see us now.”

When I get to her office Moses is already waiting outside her door.

***

Tell us what you think: Will Gcina make a good Head Girl at her school? Why/Why not?