Young author uses poetry to help pupils master maths and accounting

Born and raised in Soshanguve, a vibrant township in Pretoria that is shaped by both opportunity and ­hardship, Botshelo Mthomboti (23) always knew she did not want to be constrained by her circumstances.

Like many people from South African townships, she grew up surrounded by challenges, but she was determined from an early age to spread her wings beyond Soshanguve.

Today, Mthomboti is an award-winning author and a financial management graduate with four books to her name: A Black Child Transformed by Accounting, The Poetic Atmosphere of Income Tax, The Poetic Atmosphere of Mathematics and The Journey of a Trainee Accountant.

In her books, she blends numbers with poetry, breaking down complex concepts into accessible, engaging lessons while weaving in her own personal journey.

She told Daily Maverick that her path had never been easy, but her passion kept her moving forward.

“I come from a very dysfunctional family. I was raised by my single mom. She experienced gender-based violence. I didn’t have the guts to speak to anybody. So, I wrote poems that reflected how I felt. That’s how my writing journey started.”

The pursuit of excellence

Mthomboti, who studied accounting at the University of South Africa, said balancing her studies with working full time was demanding. Yet it was during this period that an idea began to take shape. With a strong grounding in accounting and a deep love of poetry, she decided to merge the two and wrote her first book.

“I’ve always believed that as an individual, or rather as the youth, we should venture into a field with passion and put something new on the table. I didn’t want to be just an ordinary accountant; I wanted to leave a mark. I approached a few chartered accountants to share this idea. They said that it was impossible,” she said.

“However, people donated towards this book [A Black Child Transformed by Accounting]. My mentor, who’s a qualified chartered accountant and a distant uncle, also donated towards this book, and then I was able to publish.”

Getting attention for her book proved ­difficult. After many attempts to promote it through interviews and radio stations, she decided to take a different approach.

She began working on another book, this time one that was aimed directly at learners who enjoyed maths, but who might struggle with its traditionally rigid, intimidating classroom presentation.

“SA needs more mathematicians, if not statisticians, and a maths class has always been a serious class. However, I wanted learners to be able to have fun while learning the subject. Poetry improves vocabulary and memory skills.

“I then gathered this book about pure maths poetry, and if you are a teacher, use this book and call one of your students in front, let them read the poem in front of the whole class and then discuss it.

“This offers a strong interaction between a teacher and a learner,” said Mthomboti.

Writing The Poetic Atmosphere of Mathematics came with its own set of challenges. She said that tackling mathematics creatively was far from simple, especially when accuracy cannot be compromised.

“This book gave me problems. It covers basic mathematics and true poetry…

“In the first part of the book, there’s a motivational mathematics poll. I’m fixing your mind first before we get into, like, the serious calculations. The second part involves fractions. So, I’ve had teachers who’ve purchased this book and recommended it for their learners. I’ve had learners who’ve purchased this book, and their grades got better,” she said.

A mother’s support and the future

Throughout her journey, Mthomboti credits her mother as a central pillar of support. Raised by a single parent in difficult circumstances, she says her mother’s strength and encouragement helped to shape her resilience
and ambition.

That support has carried her to national recognition. Mthomboti was featured as a speaker and performer at the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants Trainee Trailblazer Awards in 2023, further cementing her position as a young innovator in education and accounting.

Looking ahead, she said her vision was for her books to be formally used in classrooms across the country. She hopes to work closely with the Department of Basic Education to integrate creative learning tools into the curriculum, particularly in subjects often viewed as intimidating or inaccessible.

For Mthomboti, poetry and numbers are not opposites. Together, they are tools for healing, learning and transformation, and a way to ensure that learners see maths not as something to fear, but as something they can understand, enjoy and master. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.