UL student who lost sight after cobra attack earns LLB Cum laude

In a story of resilience and determination, Lethabo Maleka [24] from Ga-Mphahlele, who lost his sight at the age of 10 after being attacked by a spitting cobra inside a pit toilet, has graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Laws [LLB] from the University of Limpopo.

The venom affected his eyes, and over time, his vision deteriorated until he became completely blind.

ALSO READ: University of Limpopo announces new Vice Chancellor

The incident happened in 2011 when his eyes were exposed to the venom of a spitting cobra after opening the door of a pit toilet at his home in Mamaolo village at Ga-Mphahlele, some 50 kilometres south of Polokwane.

“The venom deteriorated my sight until I could not see anymore and I thought my life was over,” Maleka told UL website.

“After I became blind, my parents could not find any schools in our area that could accommodate blind learners,” he recalls with anguish.

“I dropped out of school for nearly two years and spent my days at home, listening to the radio,” he recounts the rowdy period in his expectant years,” he added.

In 2014, Maleka enrolled at the Siloe School for the Blind in Polokwane, where he says he finally saw hope.

“I was also a member of a study group at Setotolwane, where I matriculated,” he says, adding that “if the late Steve Kekana and Adv Michael Masutha and others could do it, who am I not to do it?” He vows to make his mark in the legal profession in the coming years.

Despite the life-changing incident, Maleka went on to become one of the country’s top 20 matric achievers at Setotolwane Secondary School, Capricorn district, in 2021.

He then pursued a Bachelor of Laws [LLB] at the University of Limpopo, driven by a commitment to ensuring equal access to legal services for vulnerable and underserved communities.

ALSO READ: Drug dealers caught selling to University of Limpopo students

A dedicated and inspiring student of the Reakgona Disability Centre, Maleka has now graduated Cum Laude with his LLB.

He is now one of the students who graduated from the University of Limpopo in the recent autumn graduation.

“This outstanding achievement reflects not only academic excellence, but resilience, discipline and an unwavering belief in his goals,” the university said on their Facebook page.

“His accomplishment marks a significant milestone and stands as a powerful example of perseverance. As he steps into the legal profession, his journey continues to inspire, with the promise of meaningful impact ahead.”