Xolile Taba has been appointed the new headmaster for Kimberley Boys’ High School with effect from 1 January 2021 following the departure of Graham Steele in 2019. He becomes the 18th headmaster and first black African to head the school since its inception in 1887. Mr Taba joins the school from the Northern Cape Department of Education where he has left his position in FET Curriculum as the Deputy Chief Education Specialist (Head Office) to come and lead the school. The new headmaster holds an HDE, majored in Botany and Applied Mathematics from the University of Port Elizabeth now the Nelson Mandela University attained in 1999 as well as a B Ed (Honours), Education Management and Leadership from the University of Free State gained in 2004. He is an accredited assessor from Project Literacy.

Mr Taba is no stranger to Kimberley Boys’ High School. His first teaching appointment, fresh from university was at the school in the year 2000 by the KHS Development Trust, later becoming a permanent Departmental employee in 2005. His stay lasted a healthy and fruitful nine years that saw the young and energetic Mr Taba mould an illustrious foundation for the position he now holds. During the nine years he kept himself abreast with developments at the school, playing a key role at the Frances Oats House as a housemaster as well as building a reputation for himself as a Sciences, Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy champion at home and beyond, amongst a flurry of victories. One of his most joyful moments was achieving a 100% passrate and almost 50% level 7s for Mathematical Literacy in his matric class of 2008. Some of his brainchildren during this time were introducing soccer at the school with grand results - Kimberley Boys’ High School now competes in the highest school football leagues nationally, the Gumboot Dance Club which would be invited to perform at key events in the province and was a permanent feature at the school annual musicals

The new incumbent, whose philosophy is, “there is good to be found in every person”, intends to evolve the school from good to great, providing a platform for educational excellency that is enshrined in one of the school’s goals, “producing well rounded and balanced boys”. To support this vision, Mr Taba brings with him a wealth of experience from his exertions provincially and nationally as, just to mention a few, one time presenter of Mathematical Literacy on the national SABC learning channel alongside renowned Mathematical Literacy Curriculum author, Aarnout Brombacher, national examiner and marker of Mathematical Literacy, a quality assurer of textbooks placed in the national departmental catalogue, Umalusi Mathematical Literacy researcher for the “Maintaining Standards” project where he compared NSC examination papers from different examination bodies, member of the team responsible for the national training of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement document (CAPS) and lastly, the current Site Chairperson of the SADTU at the I.K. Nkoane House, a position which he proffers will assist him in creating lasting labour peace at the school and beyond. The school is set to benefit from Mr Taba’s passion for Information and Communication Technology which he wishes to incorporate into the curriculum. His experience as a co-head of the Professional Teacher Development Institute (TDI) has adequately positioned him to optimally assess the use of ICT as well as staff development at the school. He takes the role of building stakeholder relations very seriously and intends to continue nurturing the existing relations while bringing new ties that will be pivoted on mutual trust and progress, for the benefit of the school.

A family man, Mr Taba is married to Advocate Zoliswa Taba. He is blessed with three children, Quinton, Buhle and Xolile Junior. In his spare time he enjoys sport, politics and spending time with family.

Mr Taba has admitted that his love for the school has called him back to make a difference. The Kimberley Boys’ High School community welcomes and wishes him a memorable journey at the helm of one of the greatest boys’ schools in the country.