Despite moving from a rural village to the Friendly City, having to learn English and battling bouts of depression during his studies, it was not enough to deter a Motherwell resident’s resolve to receive his Masters in Mathematical Statistics.
Motherwell High School alumni Aphiwe Magaya crossed the stage at the Nelson Mandela University autumn graduation this week for his research to accurately predict solar energy or photovoltaic (PV) output.
In his study, Magaya assessed several statistical models to predict the energy output of a one megawatt (MW) PV system installed on Nelson Mandela University’s south campus.
“The statistical models I used are Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Regression Trees (RT).
“I compared the performance of each of the models and the results indicated that the ANN model performed best in determining solar energy output,” he said.
The study is readily available and Magaya hopes it will be taken further to assist in addressing the big energy issues facing SA.
Magaya has since relocated to take up a position as a data scientist with Altron Digital Business in Sandton where he started in November 2023.
“My dream job is to be a well-rounded and experienced data scientist.
“I am enjoying it at Altron very much and while settling into the corporate environment I have such good support from everyone and I’m learning a lot.”
He said his passion for data science, maths and statistics was inspired by his maths teacher at Motherwell High School.
“Mr Dyani saw potential in me and pushed me to do well in maths, before that I was not interested in the subject and my family could not help me with my maths homework.
“From grade 10, I started loving maths and participating in an after-school maths and science programme called Kutlwanong Centre for Mathematics and Science, and I landed up getting 78% for maths in matric in 2015.
“What I love about maths is I see it as art because you can visualise maths problems in so many ways to find the solution.
“It comes naturally to me,” Magaya said.
In 2016, he enrolled for the BSc in Computing Sciences at NMU before going on to complete his Honours in Mathematical Statistics in 2021.
However, Magaya’s journey has been full of difficulty and heartbreak.
“I am originally from the village of Esigundwaneni in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape.
“We moved to Motherwell when I was 10 and it was a big adjustment coming from the rural areas to the township.
“I also had to learn to speak English and isiXhosa as I am a member of the AmaBhaca people and we speak a mixture of isiZulu, isiXhosa and siSwati which is very different to isiXhosa,” Magaya said.
In 2019, his parents divorced, and Magaya and his brother moved in with their father.
A year later, his brother died in a motor accident and in 2022 his father died.
Thereafter, his uncle sold their home.
“I was doing my master’s at the time and I was facing so much darkness that I felt like quitting. Actually I was suicidal,” Magaya said.
“When I was hitting rock bottom, I would talk to a friend, Sinesipho Ntshangase, and he said to me ‘never forget the life you once promised yourself.’
“It meant a lot to me and I even wrote it on my vision board.
“I also told myself that my current situation was not my conclusion and I now encourage other people facing terrible situations to do the same.
“The impossible has become ‘I am possible’ and my dad would be super proud of me right now because he was the first person I told when I was accepted for my master’s.”
Magaya also thanked his supervisors in the Department of Statistics, family, friends and the Lord for making his dreams a reality.
HeraldLIVE
Gqeberha resident overcomes many obstacles to obtain master’s degree
General Reporter
Image: Supplied
Despite moving from a rural village to the Friendly City, having to learn English and battling bouts of depression during his studies, it was not enough to deter a Motherwell resident’s resolve to receive his Masters in Mathematical Statistics.
Motherwell High School alumni Aphiwe Magaya crossed the stage at the Nelson Mandela University autumn graduation this week for his research to accurately predict solar energy or photovoltaic (PV) output.
In his study, Magaya assessed several statistical models to predict the energy output of a one megawatt (MW) PV system installed on Nelson Mandela University’s south campus.
“The statistical models I used are Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Regression Trees (RT).
“I compared the performance of each of the models and the results indicated that the ANN model performed best in determining solar energy output,” he said.
The study is readily available and Magaya hopes it will be taken further to assist in addressing the big energy issues facing SA.
Magaya has since relocated to take up a position as a data scientist with Altron Digital Business in Sandton where he started in November 2023.
“My dream job is to be a well-rounded and experienced data scientist.
“I am enjoying it at Altron very much and while settling into the corporate environment I have such good support from everyone and I’m learning a lot.”
He said his passion for data science, maths and statistics was inspired by his maths teacher at Motherwell High School.
“Mr Dyani saw potential in me and pushed me to do well in maths, before that I was not interested in the subject and my family could not help me with my maths homework.
“From grade 10, I started loving maths and participating in an after-school maths and science programme called Kutlwanong Centre for Mathematics and Science, and I landed up getting 78% for maths in matric in 2015.
“What I love about maths is I see it as art because you can visualise maths problems in so many ways to find the solution.
“It comes naturally to me,” Magaya said.
In 2016, he enrolled for the BSc in Computing Sciences at NMU before going on to complete his Honours in Mathematical Statistics in 2021.
However, Magaya’s journey has been full of difficulty and heartbreak.
“I am originally from the village of Esigundwaneni in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape.
“We moved to Motherwell when I was 10 and it was a big adjustment coming from the rural areas to the township.
“I also had to learn to speak English and isiXhosa as I am a member of the AmaBhaca people and we speak a mixture of isiZulu, isiXhosa and siSwati which is very different to isiXhosa,” Magaya said.
In 2019, his parents divorced, and Magaya and his brother moved in with their father.
A year later, his brother died in a motor accident and in 2022 his father died.
Thereafter, his uncle sold their home.
“I was doing my master’s at the time and I was facing so much darkness that I felt like quitting. Actually I was suicidal,” Magaya said.
“When I was hitting rock bottom, I would talk to a friend, Sinesipho Ntshangase, and he said to me ‘never forget the life you once promised yourself.’
“It meant a lot to me and I even wrote it on my vision board.
“I also told myself that my current situation was not my conclusion and I now encourage other people facing terrible situations to do the same.
“The impossible has become ‘I am possible’ and my dad would be super proud of me right now because he was the first person I told when I was accepted for my master’s.”
Magaya also thanked his supervisors in the Department of Statistics, family, friends and the Lord for making his dreams a reality.
HeraldLIVE
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