Tshilidzi Marwala’s clever computers
Ndivhuho Mutsila
Thulisile Shongwe
English
First paragraphs

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This storybook is about Tshilidzi Marwala.
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He is a Computer Scientist and Mechanical Engineer in South Africa.
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This is a story about how Tshilidzi from Duthuni became an international expert in Science and Technology.
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Tshilidzi Marwala was born in the rural village of Duthuni, in Limpopo. He grew up with his parents and his grandmother, Tshianeo.
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Vho Tshianeo made very good pots from clay. The design of her traditional pots followed nature’s engineering.
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Engineering is a science of designing and making things like machines, bridges, and buildings.
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Vho Tshianeo knew the engineering of making traditional clay pots. Tshilidzi liked to watch his grandmother making pots, and to help her.
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She started by making a flat circle for the base of the pot. Then, she built up the round sides of the pot with more clay.
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Grandmother dried her pots in the sun and then put them in a fire.
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The fire was hot enough to bake the clay. Baking clay at a very hot temperature dries all the water from the clay. That makes clay very hard and strong.
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Grandmother’s pots were strong and lasted a long time.
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Tshilidzi’s love for Science and Engineering also came from his father. Mr Marwala was a Maths teacher at a local school.
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Before he learned about multiplication at school, Tshilidzi learned how to multiply numbers from reading his father’s books.
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Tshilidzi was always curious about things. At night, he’d take his father’s torch and shine it up to see the edge of the sky!
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After finishing primary school, Tshilidzi left his village to go to boarding school in the city of Shayandima.
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Boarding school was interesting because he met new people. He learned to get along with different people.
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Later, Tshilidzi moved to Mbilwi High School. Tshilidzi admired his Maths and Science teachers at that school. They inspired him to study and work hard.
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In his last year of school, Tshilidzi won the ‘National Youth Science Olympiad’. He won a trip to England, to the ‘London International Youth Science Forum’.
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Tshilidzi studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pretoria. He studied further at Cambridge University.
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Tshilidzi was interested in how technology can change our lives. He studied Computer Science in England.
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Next, he went on to study Technology and Engineering in America. After years of studying, Tshilidzi decided to bring his knowledge home. He returned to South Africa.
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He started work as a computer software developer, working on artificial intelligence.
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Artificial intelligence is when machines do tasks that usually require human intelligence.
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Tshilidzi developed a software program so that computers could taste and smell!
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Today, Tshilidzi is an international expert in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science.
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Professor Marwala is now working on ways to make computers do many things for humans. For example, on how artificial intelligence can help people at work.
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Professor Marwala's work focuses on how Science and Technology can help to create jobs and improve life for all.
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His life shows the importance of education and hard work. And the value of curiosity!
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——Questions


  1. Who are the people that influenced Tshilidzi to become a scientist? Why do you say so?
  2. What did Tshilidzi learn at boarding school?
  3. What is ‘Computer Science’? Find out about this subject.
  4. What do ‘Mechanical Engineers’ do? Find out about their work.
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——Books in this series


  • Andile Mji
  • Asnath Mahapa
  • Bongani Mayosi
  • Charlotte Maxeke
  • Mmantsane Moche Diale
  • Mulalo Doyoyo
  • Tebello Nyokong
  • Tshilidzi Marwala
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This story was created and written in Tshivenḓa as part of the Zenex Ulwazi Lwethu reading materials project in 2020.
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Attribution CC BY
Your attribution should include the following:
Title: Tshilidzi Marwala’s clever computers
Author/s: Ndivhuho Mutsila
Translator/s: Ndivhuho Mutsila
Illustrator/s: Thulisile Shongwe
Assurer/s: African Storybook
Language: English

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CC BY includes the following elements:
 BY   – Credit must be given to the creator